Hear Ye!

September, 2006
No. 472

FROM THE PRESIDENT
By Bob Sudermann

A number of you have met my father. He is the one who got me hooked on
modeling and the one I intend to send an invoice for all I've spent on this
hobby. My father's younger brother, my Uncle Fred, passed away a few weeks
ago. I traveled back to Kansas as did my aunt, uncle, sister, brother and
my father along with Uncle Fred's children. I had not seen my brother for
ten years, my Aunt for at least 20+ and two of my cousins for at least 25
years. Despite the situation, it was good to see everybody. Uncle Fred
worked for the University of Wichita and was key in the development of the
National Institute for Aviation Research located at the University. Uncle
Fred's youngest son Mark, spoke at the services, and I have included a
portion of his comments below. This fit my Uncle, it fits my father, and it
fits some of the people I have met with in the Valley Forge Signal Seekers.

Class never runs scared. It is sure-footed and confident in the knowledge
that you can meet life head-on and handle whatever comes along.

Class never makes excuses. It takes its lumps and learns from past
mistakes.

Class is considerate of others. It knows that good manners are nothing more
than a series of petty sacrifices.

Class bespeaks an aristocracy that has nothing to do with ancestors or
money. The most affluent blue-blood can be totally without class while the
descendant of a Welsh miner may ooze class from every pore.

Class never tries to build itself up by tearing others down. Class is
already up and need not strive to look better by making others look worse.

Class can walk with kings and keep its virtue and talk with crowds and keep
the common touch. Everyone is comfortable with the person who has class
because he is comfortable with himself.

Thanks, and Remember to Fly Safe - See you at the Field.

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VFSS BOG MEETING
by Steve Kolet, Secretary

August 1, 2006

Members present: 9, secretary

Meeting opened at 6:30 PM by Vice President Carl Sutton.

OLD BUSINESS: None.

NEW BUSINESS: Initial planning for the September fun fly was accomplished.
It appears to be the same group who worked the June fun fly.

All business was concluded and the meeting adjourned at 6:45.

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SLATE OF NOMINEES FOR THE 2007 BOG

Al Marcucci
John Coia
Perry Lawrence
Bob Hutchinson
Zigmund Guerrero
Bob Fox
Steve Kolet
Bob Sudermann

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A DESPERATE JOURNEY
by Warren Barrick

Many moons ago, in my youth, I can recall my mother telling my pop to take
the four youngest boys of the Barrick family to get new clothes for school
or Easter or some special occasion. Invariably this resulted in a minor riot
amongst the four, as we knew that Pop was, as most men, going to buy and not
shop. Most of the time we embarked from Garrett Hill, our home on the Main
Line, to 69th Street or the Sears & Roebuck store at 63rd Street in far-off,
wild Philadelphia. We called these trips "Desperate Journeys."

Now in my dotage, the last quarter of a fabulous life, I find myself once
again taking off on desperate journeys. Instead of dealing with riotous
siblings and a strict no-nonsense father, I now am stuck with raucous
members of the Valley Forge Signal Seekers.

My blessed mother left the planet several years ago at the age of 92, so I
no longer have to follow her suggestions as to my sartorial needs. Now at
this age, I am a fool for food, fun, and laughter. Most of the time it is
food that is the source of my entertainment.

This has led among other things to a friendship with Bob Dolan and a harsh
regimen to watch my waistline at the same time. Thus, tennis and walking for
exercise. But I digress.

Dolan made a wild attempt to make a "run to Buck" for fried chicken and
modeling supplies on a Wednesday that happened to coincide with a decline in
temperature and a decent flying day. We nixed his proposal.

He persisted, however, and convinced us that Monday the 21st should be the
day. Once again I found myself with other conspirators on another desperate
journey.

We rendezvoused at Dolan's house at 10 AM and climbed into Dolan's van.
Driving as usual was the intrepid Al Campana, who has the great skill of
keeping both hands on the wheel even while bursting with laughter. In the
jump seat was our navigator, Joe, "Did I tell you about my operation?"
Pasquini. Joe is an expert at finding the Route 30 bypass; after that he
relies on his use of primary numbers and recall of certain red barns to find
his way. Strapped in next to me was Bob Dolan who kept reciting "Chicken"
and other elegies on the impending feast. In the rear seat was Carl Sutton
who we prodded constantly to stay awake and to stop busting on Dolan.

Over hill and dale through the beautiful farmland we proceeded, observing
corn and tobacco and how long the laundry lines were on many farmhouses. To
think all of those clothes were washed without electricity.

After much laughter and busting on each other we arrived at Extreme Hobbies
and Musser's Market in Buck, PA. We shopped in what really is a hobby
supermarket, a store as large as your local Acme bursting with radio control
hobby stuff - model airplanes, cars, no trains. By 12:30, Dolan began to
recite his chicken litany and we fled next door to terrorize the ladies at
the deli counter who must serve up tons of fried chicken daily.

We decided to set up for our lunch in the Buck R/C Club that is adjacent to
the supermarket.

Then came the wacky surprise of the day. Dolan had packed a card table and
chairs for our food orgy. In the pavilion we found tables and chairs.
Undaunted, Dolan then produced a paisley tablecloth, a floral centerpiece, a
candle and two bottles of wine to have a "civilized luncheon." It was
wonderful!

Sometime in the future if my memory doesn't fail I will regale you with the
return voyage. Who purchased a watermelon? Where is the lost cane? And whose
head was too small for an Amish straw hat? Why was the lady from New Jersey
afraid to approach the van?

More next time.

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CLUB CALENDAR

Tuesday, September 5 -
BOG Meeting - 6:30 PM at the Field.

Saturday, September 9 -
Wings Field 17th Annual Vintage Aircraft and Classic Car Show, Blue Bell,
PA, starting at 8:30 AM

Sunday, September 10 -
52nd Annual Limerick Fly-In/Drive-in Pancake Breakfast, Pottstown Limerick
Airport, starting at 8:30 AM

Tuesday September 12 -
General Membership Meeting - 6:30 at the Field - (The October meeting will
be back at the Church)

Saturday September 16 (Rain Day Sunday September 17) -
VFSS Fall Fun Fly, starting at 9:00 AM

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HINTS & TIPS
FROM THE AMA NATIONAL NEWSLETTER

* * *
From the Thermal Thumbers of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta GA
Hair Spray
by David Miller

Modelers are always on the lookout for mainstream products with FF
applications. Here's one I feel compelled to pass along.

Go to your nearest Wal-Mart, Costco, Kmart, or any discount store and buy a
big can of Aqua Net hair spray. It won't cost much, and there's nothing like
it for preparing a balsa surface for Mylar, tissue, or paint.

Why, you ask? Well, it turns out Aqua Net is nothing but high-grade lacquer
with some smellum mixed in. The big-hair crowd puts tough demands on the
product, so the good people at Aqua Net pack in a ton of propellant to lay
it on thick for just the right effect.

The beehive bouffant scent dissipates in short order, and you're left with a
fine coat of sludge that both fills pores like spackle and raises errant
fuzz like Viagra. A few quick strokes of 600 wet/dry sand paper and you're
done.

For really smooth painted finishes, like Design Master and Krylon, you might
want to repeat the process as required, using multiple coats and higher
grades of W/D.

But not to worry, Aqua Net is cheap!

* * *

From the Lewes RC Club, Lewes DE
How To: Tricky Decals
Jon Joyce, editor
by Dawson Gillaspy

Have you ever wanted to place a graphic or numbers on your model but find
cutting them out of MonoKote is just too much effort? Try tracing paper
available at craft or office supply stores.

Here's how to do it with a computer and scanner.

Scan your artwork and save it.

Print it on thin tracing paper.

Cut it out and stick it on your plane by spraying the back of the tracing
with adhesive.

If you like to fly in the rain, you can waterproof the finished product by
spraying it with clear spray paint before you place it on your plane.

Unlike a commercial decal with a totally clear background, the tracing paper
will be barely visible, but it's not that noticeable.

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FOR SALE

1/3 scale Andy Sheber Pitts Special. $450 OBO New, ready to fly.
Homelite engine 4.2 $200 OBO
Call 215 258 5808.

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

FOR SALE

We are in the process of cleaning out my father-in-law's home, and he had
been involved in building and flying planes. Below is a partial list of
what is available.

Hobby Lobby S Telemaster 40 #29 (Wing size across 55", length 54")
Sig Frazer (wing 47", length 40")
Master Airscrew (wing 52", length 42")

There are lots of various plane plans, parts, motors, etc., and everything
is available to the best bid offered.

The home is located in Ardmore, and I can meet someone there if interested
in viewing/taking the equipment.

Please contact me if you need further information.
Joan Wean jwean(at)verizon.net

Feedback or comments to: Marilyn Ayres , HearYe editor
Michael Myers, Webmaster

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