2008 Model Aircraft Retrospective

“Retro” has become a buzzword today. Since the 1970s, the term has steadily gained significance in our society. In an era where faith in progress, innovation, and change often seem to prevail against all reason and at any cost, the retro trend can certainly be understood as a movement critical of progress. There is hardly any area of our social life where this widespread fashion term has not found its way in. It is not uncommon for such a return to concepts and styles from past eras to give rise to further developments and even creative new creations. Thus, the retro trend extends far beyond the world of museums, although museums themselves are increasingly becoming involved in actual retro initiatives.

Technology is a fertile ground for the retro trend today: classic cars, airplanes, and tractors, etc. Or certain events from times past, such as races (with or without reckless “red bulls”), using barrel staves, horn sleds, Eskimo kayaks, etc., record-breaking runs, Alpine or Atlantic crossings, etc. Often, old equipment as well as

Vehicles and aircraft lovingly restored and maintained, or rebuilt from scratch based on old blueprints. Model aircraft flying is a rewarding area of retro fashion and has gained new momentum today, especially in light of the trend toward the “McDonaldization” of model aircraft flying—that is, the global “one-size-fits-all” products from China. Since the model aviation scene of yesteryear was still more intimate and, above all, more individual, it’s not surprising that old models are usually associated with their designers. Whether the term “pioneer” is appropriate in every case is difficult to judge, but this in no way detracts from the significance of our trailblazers or their achievements.

In this issue, we report on three typical retro model aircraft events: the meeting for antique model aircraft organized by the Zofingen Flying Club, the Arosa Antique Glider Model Meeting, and the international Rétroplane event.

Organized for the eighth time by the Zofingen Flying Club at its beautiful Rossweid airfield, the gathering was aimed at owners of glider and powered models released before 1970. The choice of engine type was open (2- or 4-stroke or electric). The invitation stated that flight programs were open-ended, at the pilot’s discretion. Among the active organizers of this highly successful event was Peter Müller, a longtime scale model specialist and experienced collector of vintage models and accessories. This year, too, a sizeable group of older (and younger) enthusiasts gathered with an even larger number of even older models. It was impressive to see the care and dedication with which these models—some of which are half a century old or more—are maintained and preserved.

Initiator and organizer Alfred Genther writes to us: “In Arosa, we honor our long-standing tradition of model aircraft flying. Once again, we were very lucky with the weather. Some participants didn’t come to fly, but were delighted to see the first generation of model airplanes or to relive old memories. The models on display in recent years leave nothing to be desired in terms of their faithful reproduction of the originals. The concept of Swiss plywood constructions that are true to the original dimensions and materials is brought to life with exceptional quality. Who’s up for the challenge? The best way to get started is by successfully mastering beginner models, such as the Pro Aero 1, Zürihegel, and many others like them. These beginner models, with a wingspan of about 80 cm, are ideally suited for free flight. The performance models, with wingspans of about 1.8 to 2 m, are complex to build—that would be the second step. So, who’s going to give it a try? Plans are available from Ms. Keller. Plywood, pine strips, paper, and tension varnish can be obtained at specialty model shops, such as Wieser Modellbau, 8049 Zurich-Höngg. Covering the model with silk isn’t so easy. Call the author for further guidance. Any effort to keep our plywood birds in the air is in the spirit of our model aviation heritage, which is worth preserving. See you on June 20–21, 2009, in Arosa.” →

To order plywood model airplane plans:
Viviane Keller, Stettbachstrasse 5, 8702 Zollikon,
Phone 044 391 90 81

While the retro events described above focus exclusively on vintage model airplanes, this event is a scale model gathering for pre-1960 wooden glider replicas (models with fiberglass fuselages are not permitted). The initiative originated in France, where this year’s gathering also took place in Caussols, in the hinterland of the French perfume capital, Grasse. As a loyal guest at this event, Jack Kägi wrote to us: “As expected on the Côte d’Azur, the weather was beautiful—in contrast to the rainy weekend up north. Once again, we were able to admire the most amazing wooden replicas of old gliders. The wind—which is, after all, necessary for slope flying—was at times a bit too weak or blew at an angle to the slope. As a result, some newly built scale gliders could not be flown. The somewhat rough landing area, covered in grass and pebbles, deterred other pilots from flying. The best time to fly was Saturday afternoon. Later, fog even rolled in. This, however, gave us more time to photograph the sometimes unusual models and engage in extensive technical discussions. Some model builders had even brought along the rough-built versions of their latest projects. An absolute highlight in this regard was a Musger 9 (Austria), built in museum-quality detail by Vincent Besancon from Béziers. Vincent is one of the leading figures in the Rétroplane group. So at the next Rétroplane meetup, which will be held in Ireland in 2009, there will certainly be no shortage of fantastic, newly built models. Anyone who’d like to make the long journey and check out the spectacular hang gliding sites should register on the *Rétroplane.net* website. There are still a few spots available (limited to 70 pilots). How about a flying vacation on the Emerald Isle? It’s a nice change from always flying off the same mountain.”

These three examples are by no means an exhaustive list. Dozens of such and similar events take place every year in Switzerland and abroad. The retro trend offers us model aircraft enthusiasts an almost unlimited number of different gatherings. Think of the vintage aircraft meet in Frauenfeld, various warbird gatherings, the model engine collectors’ meet in Thörishaus, the antique helicopter meet at MG Fehraltorf, and so on. Even so-called newer trends in model aviation, such as electric flight pioneered by Fred Militky, can already look back on a 50-year history. And the wheel of history keeps turning ceaselessly. Soon we’ll be looking back on Kurt Schreckling’s first gas turbines or organizing retro gatherings featuring 35-MHz transmitters. As these examples clearly show, “old” doesn’t mean “stupid”; rather, it can repeatedly inspire us to new ideas and creativity by connecting us to the roots of our wonderful hobby, while also serving as a wonderful counterpoint to the uniformity of ready-made models. I hope everyone enjoys the retro wave.

Emil Ch. Giezendanner

We would like to thank the following for the photos:
Peter Lüscher (Zofingen)
, Alfred Genther (Arosa)
, Jack Kägi (Rétroplane)