#FantasyFreeFlight Report: Wallace A. Lauder has set a new world record for Hand-Launched Distance models! 3,537 feet! If you had Lauder as part of your club, not only have you earned the 4 points for his 1st place win, but 1 advantage point for the world record. Congratulations!
How did the other competitors do? The results, and what descriptions we have of the contests are below!
(Oh, and by the way? Whoever had Henry Criscuoli earned some points for him winning first place, but then lost one. He flew really well, but somebody messed up and reported his results for the wrong club!)
These three clubs found a common place and date to fly and held their contests on the same day: “The first of the series of model aeroplane contests for the Aero Club of America prizes and the Henry S. Villard Trophy took place at the (central location) August 22nd. The contesting clubs were as follows: The Gray Club represented by Rudolph Funk, Egbert P. Lott, C.V. Obst and G.A. Cavanagh. The Red Club represented by T.H. Hodgman, Jr., Ralph Olsen, L.J. Bamberger and Walter F. Bamberger. The Yellow Club, represented by Harry Schultz, Alfred K. Barker and John Barker and George Bauer. Some very promising models were seen at the event and in spite of the 35-mile-an-hour wind some exceptional flights were made.” (“Model News Column,” Aerial Age Weekly, August 30, 1915). And there’s a picture:
For the Green Club, “Winning flights in the National Model Competition distance finals went far beyond the expectations of enthusiasts. First and second distances of 2875 and 2410 feet were made by Mr. Arthur Nealy and Ellis Cook respectively. An exceedingly strong wind, together with perfect directional control accounted for the great distances. Mr. Nealy passed his old American and world record of 2400 feet in a 130 second flight and probably sets a new American record for distance models. The day was excellent for flying and plenty of power and speed were the order of the day. As early as 11 o’clock , members of the distance team had arrived on the field and commenced tuning up their models. From then until dark practice flying continued, each flyer being chary of taking official flights until absolute control was obtained. The two great flights of the day came late in the afternoon. Mr. Nealy’s flight of 2875 feet was made about 4 o’clock, and the measuring of this required approximately 65 minutes. Mr. Cook’s flight of 2410 feet came even later in the afternoon and was not measured until 6 o’clock. Mr. T. Hall, of whom much had been expected earlier in the day, experienced trouble in directional control, but succeeded nevertheless in making an excellent three flight average. Mr. Ward Pease’ model, meant for the calmest of calm days, was over-surfaced and cold not remain up long in the great wind. The big lesson learned from this meet, was that although the Green Club has individual experts, it has not practices enough team work – and that adjustment counts.” (“Model News Column,” Aerial Age Weekly, September 13, 1915)
Henry though, isn’t a member of the Indigo Club – his results were reported twice in Aerial Age Weekly, once for the Long Island Model Aero Club, which he was a confirmed member of, and once for the Indigo Club. And, since these clubs are not located anywhere near each other, he couldn’t have been competing for another club. Henry, you loose a point!
For the Orange Club, “Wallace A. Lauder, using his light double-surfaced model, which was described and illustrated in the issue of May 31 sprang the surprise of the afternoon by flying his model 3537 feet at the first trial, establishing a new world’s record for hand-launched distance models. This flight was remarkable, the model rising to a height of about 500 feet before the power gave out and then gliding for just two and one and one-half minutes, the glide was really longer than the actual flight. The other contestants, who all made very creditable showings, were Henry Herzog, Carter Tiffany and Curtis B. Myers.” (“Model News Column,” Aerial Age Weekly, September 13, 1915)
“The Purple Club held their final contest August 29th for hand-launched models for a distance. Leon Dover had the misfortune of breaking his model in trials before the contest began, and as Frank Barney, the substitute was not on hand, he had to compete with a patched model.” (“Model News Column,” Aerial Age Weekly, September 13, 1915)
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