RC Giant Scale at Toledo '82
This makes the third year in a row that I have reported on Giant Scale interests at the annual Weak Signals Radio Control Exposition. It is a fantastic panorama, from the clown without greasepaint in one corner, with his Jim Walker–like glider stunts, to the fabulous, frantic, frenetic frenzy of the Swap Shop in the far corner of the annex building. There is something for everyone, with the only overriding theme being radio control — and even that slips a bit from time to time.
Some years there are developments or new products that grab everyone's attention. Andy Sheber's big green-and-white Pitts was that kind of thing.
Lancaster Multicraft Model Products' beautiful Spitfire has a glass fuselage. The firm has active helicopters now.
Giant Scale Kealistic offers the Sunson Voyager with construction modifications since Bob built the Changing Canopy AT‑6. Retracts, an Aeromarine rear keel, lighter balsa and other steps shaved off 2 lb. Plans and a fiberglass fuselage are available.
Don's Custom Models features a fiberglass fuselage. Too bad the photo isn't in color.
Wendell Hostetler again won half the awards given out at Toledo this year. There's another batch like this. Another Jeep racer fascinates and also flies well.
Dave Platt claims his new P‑51 Mustang is true scale—even the airfoil. Kit available in A, B, and D versions of the aircraft. It was the harbinger of the present dominance of Giant Scale in the aircraft categories of the show.
This year there were no real grabbers, at least in terms of new Giant Scale products or developments, but the show was just as fascinating as ever because of the people there. In fact, it's worth going just for the people you see.
For example, I look forward every year to a chance to have a few words with Walt Good. I first met Walt some 30 years ago in the middle of a grass field near Milpitas, CA. While most of our contacts since then have been brief, they are always enjoyable. This year I had the added pleasure of introducing Walt to another of my favorite people, George Privateer. George is famous (or maybe that should be infamous) as the editor of Stardust, the newsletter of the STARS club of Olean, NY, one of the earliest and most dedicated of the big-bird groups.
Another contact I enjoyed was with Dick Phillips, the "Big Is Beautiful" man. We correspond more or less regularly, and for almost a year we had been planning to get together at Toledo. Being the mob scene it is, we didn't find each other until late on Sunday morning, but in the hour we spent talking I got more useful information than in a year of digging on my own.
There are more, of course: the many modelers-turned-businessmen who work to bring us the products that make our hobby easier and more enjoyable, and the modelers themselves who turn out in droves to see the products and meet the other modelers. Toledo is really the place to meet other people! You meet them face to face and, er, back to back every time you try to move down an aisle.
Some quick impressions from this year's show
- Lots of fiberglass in Giant Scale designs. Not just cowls, but more and more full fuselages—usually with built-up wings, not much in the way of foam cores.
- More semi-kits with fuselage, cowl, canopy, and shaped parts for which you supply sticks and sheet.
- A surprising number of new engines — and they're getting lighter and more compact.
- Some gains in fittings and accessories. Outstanding in this category were CB's new wheels.
The photo captions describe some of the items I saw, and the accompanying list gives the vital names and addresses. This, of course, is not everything of interest and value that showed up at Toledo this year. Space and time must put a limit on what can be included in this report. What I miss this year I'll try to catch the next time around.
- Aerolite Products, Inc.
1325 Millersport Hwy. Buffalo, NY 14221
- Aeromarine Enterprises
709 Longboat Ave. Beachwood, NJ 08722
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
