1976 U.S. Championships in Dayton, Ohio

The Americans didn’t invent model aviation, but they field the world’s best in virtually every model aviation category—from pylon racing to indoor flying. Among other things, this is of course due to the size of the country. But it’s mainly due to their unparalleled inventive spirit, their willingness to improvise, and the virtually unlimited technical and geographical possibilities available to them. Anyone who knows where most computers and navigation devices come from—not to mention space travel—won’t be surprised that American model aviators have always played a leading role in radio-controlled electronics. This is also impressively evident in the sporting arena: out of a total of 9 aerobatics world championships, the Americans have won 5 titles in the individual category and as many as 6 titles in the team competition, and they are currently the reigning world champions as a team. This should be emphasized once again here, even though we, too, consistently produce top pilots and high-quality products. However, the Americans have repeatedly set milestones in the field of radio control electronics (proportional control, digital technology, plug-in RF modules, etc.), in model aircraft construction (Taurus, Kwick-Fly, Ugly-Stick, etc.), and in engine manufacturing (K&B, Veco, Perry, etc.). We are also reluctant to discuss the influence that, for example, the famous KRAFT RC system has had (and will continue to have) on European manufacturers.