Society of Antique Modelers Championships 1993
By John Oldenkamp
Venue and Setting
For its 27th annual National Championships, the Society of Antique Modelers (SAM) chose Condor Field at Taft, California — a site long dubbed "Mecca" by free flighters because of its ample size and legendary thermal production.
Nearby Taft offers amenities that increase the attraction of these events (restaurants, motels, shopping, auto parts and repair, a community recreation center large enough for awards banquets, etc.), amenities lacking at the only other major west-coast free flight site (Lost Hills). Condor Field was recently annexed for future Taft municipal use, bringing water, fire, and power services closer to reality; one immediate result is the installation of a pair of pay telephones.
Taft mayor and restaurateur Ken Knost (The White Elephant) helped with water trucks for dust control and reworked a treacherous field entry culvert so even the largest RVs can negotiate it. These local efforts were welcome adjuncts to the comfort zone.
Schedule and Format
The '93 Champs took place over six days:
- Day 0: arrivals, registrations, the MECCA (Model Engine Collectors Association) bazaar, and practice
- Five full days of competition
- Gala banquet/awards ceremony to wrap up
Event totals:
- 46 flying events (split 26 Free Flight / 17 RC Assist)
- 3 Nostalgia Gas classes (January 1943–December 1956), sponsored by the National Free Flight Society (NFFS)
Purpose and Philosophy
SAM’s annual championships reaffirm the organization’s low-key charter: to preserve and enjoy the Golden Age of free flight history (roughly 1928–1942). SAM emphasizes fun and relaxed-style competition, keeping no records and using rules mainly to classify airplane types and sizes rather than to promote cutthroat competition. The gathering is as much about memories, friendships, and preservationist zeal as it is about winning.
Site Atmosphere and Modern Touches
The field acquired a mini-village character by Sunday: motor homes, sunshades, tents, Porta Potties, hundreds of motorcycles, and a chow hall run by Jay Sloane (Chez Jay). Takeoff mats were secured and flight lines chalked off. About half of the entrants used radio control, but Free Flight and RC disciplines were separated for safety and convenience. Comradeship and goodwill prevailed across disciplines.
Early Events and Monday Highlights
Rain fell overnight before Monday, but cool weather with scattered clouds and light drift made Nostalgia Gas five-minute flight times realistic and pleasant to chase.
Nostalgia Gas (NosGas) notes:
- The 1/2A/2-A combined event drew 11 entries. The most popular design was the Taibi Spacer, with engines from vintage Cox Space Hopper reed-valve .020s and .049s to Holland Homes and Holland Home–style units.
- NosGas features replica designs and period engines; it’s low-cost and appealing to '50s buffs and newcomers.
Selected NosGas results:
- C-D class: won by Bob DeShields (Ramrod 750, Johnson .35) in a flyoff over Curt Stevens (Spacer 800, K&B .35), 20:00 to 19:37.
- 1/4A winner: Chris Murphy (Thermal Hopper .049 Spacer).
- A-B winner: Fred Emmert (Dream Weaver scaled for Johnson .29).
Monday RC Assist:
- Brown Junior Texaco (pre-1938 fuel-to-weight, Bill Brown .60 ignition only) saw 25 fliers using three attempts each. Top flight was 32:25 by Blackburn/Foley, followed closely by McLaughlin's Buccaneer.
- Twenty different designs among 25 entrants showed variety rather than domination by a single model.
Social:
- The traditional Bean Feed and raffle (over 200 tickets) capped Monday night with food, prizes, and conviviality.
Main Competition (Next Four Days)
The next four days were filled with "serious fun flying." With the numbers entered, even casual events were contested seriously. Contest Director Bill Booth and his team finalized logistics (stakes, ropes, banners, lime bags, etc.), ensuring smooth operation.
Overall participation:
- 222 pilots flew in 91 events.
- Heavy turnouts in Old Time Rubber classes:
- Large Rubber Stick: 37 entries
- Small Fuselage (≤150 sq in): 36 entries
- Large Fuselage (≤300 sq in): 34 entries
- Four-ounce (pre-1937) Wakefield: 26 entries
Rubber and fuselage designs often have outsized rudders, skimpy dihedral, and short moment arms—challenging to build and fly but delightful when revealed overhead in a thermal.
Selected Free Flight results and performances:
- A Gas FF Fuselage: 31 entrants.
- C Gas Pylon: 25 entrants; Bud Romak posted five maxes with his Super-Cyclone–powered Don Foote Westerner.
- C Gas Fuselage: Joe Foster beat Sal Taibi flying Playboy Cabin copies, Foster 14:45 to Taibi 13:11.
- Bill Gibbons: 1/4A Texaco winner with 66:41; also won Eight-ounce Wakefield (post-'37) with four maxes, 22:53 (Les DeWitt second at 14:15).
- Eric Strengell: A Gas Pylon, 23:35.
- Sal Taibi: flew 11 events, placed in five, and won two (Gas FF OT Scale, 22:35; B Gas Fuselage, 14:44) flying his famed Brooklyn Dodger.
RC Assist Highlights and Numbers
RC Assist featured 18 events and an extraordinary number of individual event entries:
- 515 individual event entries across the RC Assist program
- Max times ranged from 7 minutes to 60 minutes, making thermal finding crucial
- Many categories required flyoffs
Selected RC results:
- 1/2A Texaco RC: 56 entries; only 8 qualified for the flyoff. Winner: Knycy's Anderson Pylon (small, 248 sq in, 14 oz) with 26:30. Second: T. Smith (Anderson Pylon, 301 sq in) 18:33.
- Full-size Texaco RC: 52 entries, 60-minute max, three-man flyoff (all Lanzo Bombers) — winner Davidson, Denkins second, Fischer third.
- C Ignition LER (Limited Engine Run): 44 entrants, seven-minute max, 16-person flyoff — Percy (Bomber, 14:53), Bekins (Bomber, 11:12), Rafferty (Bomber, 8:47).
Notable RC competitors:
- Wes Funk: topped the 16-person flyoff in RC Electric Texaco at 32:11; sixth overall in RC I/C Texaco (56 entries); fourth in A/JA Nostalgia Gas; ninth of 19 in 1/2A Free Flight Texaco (35:11) on a Cox .049–powered Miss Philadelphia.
- Carl Redlin: crossed over to RC after winning FF Large Rubber Stick (38:31/1) and took third in RC Electric Texaco (19 entrants).
- Uel Tillotson: entered 14 events, placed in eight, and won three: Ohlsson Sloop (Taylor Cub, 2.1 in a flyoff), A Glow LER (Western, K&B 3.5, 10:27), and Antique Glow (Westerner, Enya .60) 24:35 in a nine-way flyoff.
Organization, Leadership, and Thanks
The contest was run under superb weather by Contest Director Bill Booth Jr. (Fresno, CA) with assistance from:
- Larry Clark
- Jim Person (Free Flight Director)
- Steve Roselle (RC Assist Director)
Their planning and good humor provided what competitors needed, when they needed it.
Observations and Recommendations
SAM could benefit from increased visibility of local and regional programs and promotion of stepping-stone classes. Old Timer designs are inexpensive in many non-RC classes and available in kit form — good opportunities to attract newcomers.
Looking Ahead
- 1994 (28th) SAM National Championships: Muncie, Indiana (AMA National Flying Site)
- 1995: Colorado
- 1996: Las Vegas
Ample notice for competitors to prepare fleets and travel plans before the next cycle.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
