For Openers
Carl Wheeley's
A minor miracle? That's what this issue will be if it reaches readers at about the normal time. Sometimes it seems each issue is that way, but the Nats issue, with so much of it devoted to covering an event which wasn't even over until August 8, is especially so.
Picture, if you will, that each issue normally gets started in earnest about the first of the month. Give our Nats reporters a couple of days to get home, and we already are up to the 10th. How quickly can they unwind, take care of overdue chores, and knuckle down to get their reports written, pictures printed, and picture captions written? Most were lucky if they finished up by 11 p.m. on Sunday the 15th so they could hit the mail the next morning. Some with shorter reports and good home situations finished sooner; some with more writing to do took longer. The last of the special Nats reports wasn't received at our editorial offices until August 26!
And then it was necessary for us to massage the reports a bit (you know, cross the t's and dot the i's), mark them for typesetting, proofread the typeset galley copy, and finally lay out the pages with all the headings, pictures, and type. All of this was finished up just after the first of September if this issue was on schedule. (This was written — with fingers crossed — somewhat more than a week before the scheduled finish date.)
Don't think for an instant that we're complaining. In fact, we have nothing but the highest respect for our great team of event reporters — many of whom are regular MA contributing editors — and magazine staff folks. Without their dedication and commitment, there would have been no hope of getting a total story of such magnitude into the hands of readers so soon. Well done, guys and gals.
The end result, through words and pictures, we hope, will give readers some of the good feeling of being there that was enjoyed by those who could attend. For those who were there, it will be an issue to treasure and look back on from time to time to help recall the good times had by most everyone.
The Nats is much more than a model contest. It's an opportunity to live modeling for a whole week's stretch for as many hours each day as one is up to. It's an institution steeped in 56 years of tradition, history, and lore. It's an event that requires no previous qualifications or contest winning of any sort — all AMA members welcome. It's a happening. It's also a contest (or we should say many of them). We hope that each of you will try to attend and be a part of the 57th Nats in 1973, wherever it may be held.
Good from tragedy
An accident involving model aircraft never is good, more so if death results.
John Preston's safety column last month made mention of the tragic accident at a club flying field in Arcola, VA, in which a club member in the pit area was struck and fatally injured, even though there were no known safety violations. Newspapers all over the country carried reports of this, and we saw many of these reprinted in club newsletters with appropriate comment.
The increased awareness of the need, consciously, to always fly models safely, and in a safe setting, is the good aspect. May it stay with us forever! Many clubs are re-evaluating their safety practices — from the layout of the field to how and where the models are flown on the field — to the models themselves with respect to integrity of the components and equipment.
We mustn't become complacent about safety — ever!
Control Line fliers, it's time to unite!
Dr. Laird Jackson, whose report and pictures on the 1982 Control Line World Championships appear in this issue, asks if we might be able to print some information about a fairly new organization that is trying to get established. It's overdue, in our opinion, because there are so many factions in Control Line that each one, individually, can do very little. Oh, yes, there have been some very bright spots in accomplishments by some of the CL special interest groups. With unity, the likelihood is that much more can be done with goals that are common with all CL activities.
We've seen copies of The Gazette, newsletter of the group, and each one of them so far has been great — just full of CL goodies — and well worth the asking price of $10 per year. The Gazette needs more subscribers if it's to continue at the pace of the early issues. But let Doc Jackson give you his pitch:
> "The National Control Line Coalition is a developing organization intended to provide a representative body for all Control Line fliers. The use of the word coalition is meant to convey the temporary nature of the present arrangement. The presidents of the Control Line Speed, Stunt, Combat, Carrier, and Racing groups constitute an Executive Board which has the power to direct the growth and activity of the coalition (including changing the name if they so desire). The intent is to provide the means for all of Control Line to have the ability to speak with one voice of authority to AMA or anyone else in matters of interest to any Control Line group or flier. With all of the groups represented, no one interest needs to be left out of any Control Line matter and can receive the benefit of increased numbers of members behind any decision or request of any group. > > "The newsletter, The Gazette, is to carry news, technical information, and reports of interest and achievement recognition for Control Line. All groups are to contribute to its content with fair distribution of coverage of interests. Much of the content depends on the availability of contributions. Eventual editorial policy should be determined between the editor and the Executive Board."
"The newsletter has an international audience but needs new subscribers, as the list has not yet recovered from the gap in publishing which occurred in 1981. The newsletter will achieve a regular monthly schedule by late 1982 with a minimum of eight pages and a maximum dependent on subscriber support and contributions. Picture quality is excellent. Advertisements are planned to be limited to materials of interest to Control Line and smaller suppliers. Computer-filed supplier lists, membership lists, and the like will be available. Full-sized plans will be available of most models published. Copies of technical reports, etc., are planned for future availability as are selected, hard-to-get specialty supplies and the like. > > "Frankly, it is an experiment to see if Control Line is really dead the way some people say. I don't think so. Write in and support the coalition concept if you refuse to believe Control Line is gone. > > "Subscription to The Gazette, $10 per year. Send to Laird Jackson, 2322 Wilson Ave., Bristol, PA 19007. Sample copy, send 37 cents in stamps."
In memoriam — Tom Hutchinson
We are saddened that one of our brethren in the model magazine field, Tom Hutchinson, died of cancer on August 16 after a lengthy bout with the disease. Born in Louisiana in 1940, he is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and sons Marc, 7, and Michael, 5.
Tom had been author of the Free Flight column of Model Builder magazine until near the end. He taught physics at Hillsboro High School in Oregon. He has been an organizer of model clubs, designer of outstanding FF models (Dragmaster, A-2 Towline, among others), and producer of FF model kits (RM Models). His presence will be missed.
Tips: sponge sanding and feathered paint edges
Wish we had thought of that. Clever people, these modelers. Have you ever considered using an inexpensive household sponge wrapped with sandpaper for a sanding block? Bob Bailey does this and finds that the sponge "block" conforms nicely to most any contour. Wet the sponge, and it becomes ideal for wet sanding (wet-or-dry sandpaper, of course) and for flushing the sanding area. Big sponges make an ideal backing for contour-sanding of sheeted wings.
Another handy use for our friendly sponge, this time one with small "pores" such as foam rubber used for cushions, is to give a feathered edge to the paint of certain camouflage schemes. Just dab on the sponge for a sprayed-like edge (this, of course, for those who don't have a spray gun). Thanks to The Hawks' Squawk newsletter of the Boeing Hawks RC Flyers, Seattle, WA, for these tips.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
