Camaraderie at the Nats

[peabody]

The old critters often explain that the early (Navy) Nats were wonderful because of the  camaraderie developed by all being clustered in a hanger and sharing tools, parts and secrets. More than likely true.

The drone racers do the same thing, only under a large tent.....lots of "bench racing" and technical ideas exchanged, as well as parts help.

Check Model Aviation....

[Dennis Moritz]

Speed fliers hang out in their tin roof shed under the midday sun. Hot. Hot. Hot. Many 70 plus. Eighty years old? A young guy in his fifties or sixties cuffs his hand in the pylon and flies all the planes. Most of them anyway. Lots of stop watches and opinions. Stunt is always a blast. West Coast/East Coast and non affiliated get to confront, laugh, stare down, lie and get serious. Mythic figures stalk the L-pad. In our small world. Fabulous theater. I love it. Year after year.

[Dave_Trible]

Rich there sure is nothing today to compare with the old Navy Nats work hanger.  The all day and night bull sessions, guys with their 'stuff' all out on tables for all to see and learn,  those piecing together the days' wreckage to go the next day,  the kids (of all ages) flying delta darts all over the place.  Outside Testors was teaching local kids to fly their plastic planes.  The night raids to the melon patch and a small alligator in a bath tub.  Getting to see and talk to all your heros or catching a nap on the floor under your table.  The Nats hobby shop where you could get all the neat stuff your LHS never had.  The place you see the whole hobby in one place at one time.

Today's Nats is still pretty much the high point in life yearly for me and I still urge any who have never been to go.  But that hanger... it would have been great had the AMA put up a large metal building in Muncie to serve the same purpose.  Not sure it's possible these days.  I'd guess the cost would approach 300,00 to maybe a half mill.  Perhaps if we have to put up with multirotors perhaps we could get THEM to pay for it.......hummm.

Dave

[john e. holliday]

Yes I too was fortunate enough to attend the NATS when it was a week long party of model planes.  Getting to meet the great I had only read about and the new kids just attending their first NATS.  

Now when are you guys going to get the term right, they are not drones,  they are quad copters and multi rotors.  In fact when I went to the circle Monday evening O noticed a couple of car parked on the road.  I drove on in to the circle.  As I was unloading two young men came over and introduced them selves.  One said it was first time in all the years he had been flying off the road he had seen any body on the circle.   Found out they were flying quad copers with FPV set up.  We had quite a chat and also found out he used to fly control line.  And like me he gave up radio control planes because loss of interest in them.  But, he too agreed that people don't know what they are talking about when they call his quad craft a drone.

Back to the NATS,  it will never be the same being spread out over a couple of months.  I remember in 70 when we were waiting on the wives to fix breakfast(we were in a camper) watching the old time free flight planes taking of and landing.   Getting to see some of all the events.   Even the bus ride to where they were having in door competition.  It's great to remember the good times, bad times and all the friends I have made through the years.

[bob whitney]

 
 I stayed over for FF nats the week after the U/C was done to help some of the Fla FF guys. the first morning I pulled into the pits to see the air Full of airplanes .I had forgotten what a thrill it was.the Navy nats were never complete until an A-2 or a big rubber ship landed in the middle of the speed circle in the middle of a hot B, or C flight .

the 12/14 year old  kids of today will never have the thrill of jumping in a car with two or 3 of his club members and heading for PA to spend a week on your own Flying model airplanes, the nightly glider contest in the hanger were the best

or better yet at 16 getting on a plane in Fla with a box of speed ships and heading to Los Alamitas Ca .spend the week on your own just flying and making it back to the airport in time to catch your flight home thanks to friends (bill & Betty Bell,

[Chuck_Smith]

I lost interest in the NATs after they stopped having the all-forms-of-aeromodleing-together format. I loved watching Dynajet controline speed ships, R/C scale, C Gas FF, stunt, pylon racing... it was all there. You would come as a CL Combat flyer and leave with a new-found interest in HLG, or come to fly R/C pylon racing and get hooked on stunt. Worst thing the Academy of Multirotors and Arfs ever did was to break it up. We no longer present what we do to different modelers and communities.

I'm sure their intentions were good, but the unintended consequences really hurt the hobby, IMHO.