Hear Ye!

The Official Newsletter of the :
Valley Forge Signal Seekers
Radio Controlled Model Airplane Club

An AMA Gold Leader Club

December, 2003
No. 439

FROM THE PREZ
by Bob Sudermann

I would like to thank Ron Strobel for allowing all of us the opportunity to
view his film 'Mount Everest' which documents his experiences in Katmandu
and trip to Mt. Everest. The membership in attendance was enthusiastic and
provided Ron with quite a few questions. This is just another example that
RC modelers have other interests and passions and that the VFSS membership
is interested in learning about them. Thanks again, Ron.

The 2004 Board of Governors (BOG) elections did not go quite as planned.
There are 11 nominees and not all of them were able to make the meeting.
Per the club by-laws, nominees need to be at the meeting when the elections
will be held or provide a written description of why they want to be on the
board. To resolve the current issue, we will hold a special election at the
December meeting to provide an opportunity for the club membership to fill
out the remaining openings for next year's BOG. The December BOG meeting
will be held on Tuesday, December 16th, at which time the 2004 club officers
will be elected by the new board.

The planning for the annual banquet, which will be held on Tuesday, February
10th, has begun, and we would like to invite all members who attend to bring
their current project for static display. I think having a few airplanes at
a banquet for a model aircraft club would be fun, and it gives us a chance
to see what new ships will be taking off in the spring.

Joe Weizer is organizing the bus trip the WRAM show in February. As you
remember, we had to cancel last year's trip because we could not sell enough
tickets to cover the cost of the bus. For those that haven't attended
before, the WRAM show is a radio-control manufacturers' trade show held in
White Plains, New York. You can see all the newest items available that
cover all aspects of this hobby. Almost everything is for sale or can at
least be ordered. For the price of the ticket (current estimate, depending
on the cost of the bus, is $40.00) you get transportation, food for the trip
up, entrance to the show and more food for the trip back. Please see Joe at
the December meeting to sign up. Don't miss it; it's a great trip.

A final note on safety: Remember it is every club member's responsibility
to ensure we are all adhering to the safety rules as stipulated in the Field
Management Guide. If you see someone doing something unsafe, please gently
remind them of the rules and what they are doing wrong. Most of our rules
fall under a 'common sense' approach to safety. As an example, do not taxi
an airplane from the runway back to the pits. Common sense would tell us
that an aircraft with the engine running and facing fellow modelers and
spectators is not a good idea.

Remember - Fly Safe and I'll see you at the field.

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A SENTIMENTAL (BUT ENLIGHTENING) JOURNEY
by Nathan Marks

During a recent vacation in Arizona with my family, my son was scanning a
travelers' guidebook and discovered an attraction in the town of Mesa that
he knew would be of interest to his dad. He had come across the Arizona
wing of the Commemorative Air Force, a dedicated group of veterans and
airplane enthusiasts who painstakingly restore (to flying condition) and
house rare, vintage aircraft.

So that evening, I scanned my roadmap and plotted the course to the Falcon
Field Airport via the "Loop," Route 101, which has a speed limit of 75 miles
per hour. The next day, however, my wife and son elected to remain
poolside, so I set off, undaunted, for the museum.

When I arrived at the flying museum, the parking lot was practically empty.
This turned out to be fortunate for me because there were no crowds and I
was able to speak at length to a couple of World War II vets who flew during
the war, and I was able to go on board the Sentimental Journey, a fully
restored and airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress. But I'll get back to "her"
later.

Inside a huge hangar-like structure, the Arizona Wing maintains a B-25
Mitchell bomber, SNJ, C-45, L-16 Grasshopper and O2-A Super Skymaster. On
static display are a F4 Phantom, Mig 15, Mig 17 and a Grumman Guardian.
They are currently restoring a B-25 Mitchell bomber which flew bombing
missions out of Corsica against the Axis. One old timer quipped good-
naturedly to me that the rate of progress of its restoration was such that
he probably wouldn't be around to see it fly.

In addition to these wonderful airplanes, the museum has an extensive
collection of war and war-era artifacts and memorabilia and maintains a
machine shop(visible to quests) on the premises that reconditions and
fabricates the parts for restoration. According to their brochure, their
machine shop "makes it possible for the complete restoration of these (the
aircraft mentioned above) and future aircraft acquired by the Wing . the
restoration process can consume thousands of hours. A major disassembly and
examination is begun ... defective parts are reconditioned or replaced and
the airframe is carefully stripped of paint and thoroughly cleaned ...
control surfaces recovered .. .re-skinning of the fuselage and wings (often
needed) ... rewiring ... engine(s) overhauled," etc.

The highlight of the museum for me was going aboard the "Sentimental
Journey." It originally came off the Douglas built Boeing assembly line in
late 1944 and served in the Pacific. After the war it served as an air-sea
rescue craft, and later, as a borate bomber combating forest fires. It was
donated to the Arizona Wing in 1978, disassembled, and "painstakingly
restored to original World War II configuration."

My immediate reaction, once on board, was how little room there was for the
crew. Moving forward and aft required bending down and almost balancing
myself, and the craft wasn't even in motion! The plane was packed with
equipment, bombs (bomb bay doors were open), and 50-millimeter machine guns
protruding from numerous turrets. I was able to stand in the machine gun
turret on top of the fuselage, above the pilot's compartment...very cool and
at the same time, unnerving when imagining what it must have felt like to be
in that confined space with enemy fighters trying to blow you out of this
world!

This is an aircraft museum that you must experience first-hand if you travel
to the Phoenix area. Or, you may be fortunate enough to see the
"Sentimental Journey" at an air show. I understand that you can actually
take a flight on this bomber at these venues for a nominal price.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VFSS BOG MEETING
by Steve Kolet, Secretary

November 4, 2003
Members present: 16, including the president and treasurer (non- voting)
Meeting was opened at 7:05 PM by President Bob Sudermann.

OLD BUSINESS: None

NEW BUSINESS:

Item 1: Joe Weizer wants to set up and manage the WRAM trip. He will need
to put a $200 deposit down to reserve the bus. If the trip is cancelled due
to insufficient interest and he is unable to cancel the bus quickly enough,
he may be unable to get the deposit back. He asked the BOG to sponsor the
deposit in that event. Alex Primas made a motion that VFSS cover the
deposit for the WRAMS trip if the trip were cancelled and the deposit not
returned. Charlie Swope seconded. Motion passed 9 to 3, with 2 abstaining.

Item 2: The treasurer and president will conduct the BOG election at the
November club meeting in the absence of the secretary.

Item 3: The December BOG meeting will be held to elect 2004 officers. The
January BOG meeting will be held to cover the 2004 budget.

Item 4: The club banquet will be held in February. Dates and places are
being discussed. Volunteers for organizing the banquet will be sought at
the Dec club meeting.

Item 5: Budget: Income this year is down approximately $1400 and
attributed to decline in membership. VFSS budgeted spending of
approximately $11,000. The club has spent approximately $8600, and has
taken in about $9300.

Item 6: Walt Pierzchala wants to get the JD tractor maintenance completed
over the winter. The maintenance will cost approximately $250.

Item 7: The porta-potty will be removed soon. VFSS will need to
investigate other companies over the winter for next season. It sounds like
a good project for a new BOG member.

Item 8: The VFSS Student Pilot card will be updated to include the year for
issue in 2004.

Item 9: VFSS renewal forms will be in the Dec newsletter and also on the
website.

Item 10: There was a lengthy discussion of the FMG, safety, use of
spotters, attitudes of club members to suggestions for safety, etc. An
updated Field Management Guide is in work and hopefully will be ready for
presentation to the BOG in December and to the membership as a part of the
2004 renewal. A motion was made by Steve Kolet to rescind the mandatory
spotter. Second by Ed Moore. Motion passed 9 to 4, with 1 abstaining. A
notice will be put on the club bulletin board ASAP.

Item 11: The winter coffee program will be started with the December
meeting and run by Al Campana. The program took in about $100 last winter.
A motion was made to front the fund $40 for supplies. Second by Joe Yalove.
Motion passed unanimously.

Item 12: Nathan Marks will get the other Field Marshals together to try to
formalize the position and duties for inclusion in the bylaws.

Item 13: Motion to adjourn the meeting by Nathan Marks. Second by Tom
Burns. Passed unanimously.

All business was concluded, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 PM.

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CLUB CALENDAR

Tuesday, December 9th -
General Membership meeting at the Church, 8:00 PM. Round 2 of the BOG
Elections. Please be prepared to commit to the WRAM trip so that we can
finalize the bus and preparations.

Tuesday, December 16th -
BOG meeting at the Church, 7:00 PM. Note: The primary purpose of this
meeting is the election of next year's officers. Carl Sutton and Steve
Kolet have agreed to stay on as Treasurer and Secretary. All BOG members
should plan to attend, including the newly elected members for 2004.

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