Swanstrom place

[Tom Luciano]

Well....
 I guess its finally the end of an era. I had to go to Union high school for a youth sports event last week. Sad to say the UMAC field is now totally gone. From time to time I would drive by, stop and sit in the parking lot and still see the primary/stunt circle that we flew on every Thursday night and Sunday afternoon. That Circle remained still in tact for all these years until this visit. All fenced in, I peeked through to find the take off strip removed and a over head structure built. On those visits I could still visualize Memorial day with that stunt circle going all day long, Carrier going on the paved circle with Scale immediately following. The fun of watching Balloon Bust right in the middle of the complex. I still fly a Ringmaster with 1/4" dowel divots in the leading edge!  Boy, that pole claimed a lot of planes as well! Then of course Combat going on the back 3 circles. They would have 2 fast and 1 slow going all day long. I know a lot of people on this forum attended that Memorial day contest many years ago. Some of us on here were reminiscing a few years ago about that old gooey green bench that so many Fox.35's were broken in on. Bob Hunt mentioning Larry Scarinzi putting him head first in the matching gooey garbage can! Who could forget Sammy Bridges seemingly winning the TV every year!

 I would like to know some other stories from some of you that were there so many years ago. Was there someone who dominated the stunt circle?  who attended? I remember clubs like the crazy eights, deer park, flushing meadows, Middlesex and others attending.
In the following picture we have forum members such as:
Frank Imbriaco, Bob Hunt, Tom Wilk and his sons, Al Ferraro

[Frank Imbriaco]

Tom,
I'm sad to hear the news about the  last circle at the field. The Union Model Airplane Club ( UMAC) of Union, NJ was begun in the late 1940s and from what I've been told, Union Township Firechief, Mr. Denk, spearheaded a plan to start the club.  His  son, Ron, loved model airplanes and  eventually became a military and commercial airline pilot.
Many acres were cleared( Scarinzi recently told me over lunch that he provided some of the manual labor- huh, you kiddin', right L.S. ?) and five flying circles were made.
A true "field of dreams" , the activity level remained very high for nearly 25 years  and the Memorial Day AAA  annual contest you mentioned was arguably one , if not the largest ,East Coast events.
Some of the very best modelers of the day  (and Ukie history)- Scarinzi, Reinhardt, Hunt , Shulman and  numerous others  ) were members and other notables  "stopped in"  to take a flight from or to compete.
Larry once wrote "The UMAC Story" in what  is now Model Aviation Magazine back in the early 60s. There were  Plymouth  Internat and Mirror Meet winners, AYSC  and NATS Champs  that were spawned at the  UMAC field. Some years later, the club produced  world team members and a world champ.
 But like most great clubs, the real core of the club wasn't about those with  big names or flashy trophies. Guys from all walks of life contributed their individual time and talents to keep interest at a very high level.

How about weekly meetings attended by 30-40 guys, Thursday evenings during the warm months with wait lines to fly , and  late  eve Bull sessions at three eateries after the meetings?
Tom, I'm sure you've thanked your Dad many times for bringing you to the field as a toddler.
I'm sure there are clubs with similar stories.
One thing is for certain- Having a field and club like Union won't happen again.

[Clint Ormosen]

Sad story, but cool at the same time. Anyone know what/when the last event held at the site or the last flights flown before it's demise?

[Tom Luciano]

Clint,
 The last contest was held in, I believe the early eighties. I can remember being in the carrier circle as a judge in '81. After that, I turned 17 and discovered other things. I dont think it went on for much longer. After that, some of us would go and try to get a flight, but we would be asked to leave after just a couple. The development of the former Elastic Stop Nut Factory was just too close to the fields.

Frank,
  I believe the UMAC story was published once again in Control line world a few years ago. If anyone is interested I have a copy I can post on this thread.

[Clint Ormosen]

  I believe the UMAC story was published once again in Control line world a few years ago. If anyone is interested I have a copy I can post on this thread.

I'm interested.

[Tom Luciano]

hopefully it can be read

[Tom Luciano]

2

[Tom Luciano]

3

[Clint Ormosen]

Thanks Tom. It was a good read. I'm always interested in U/C history, including models, clubs and the people. I missed the classic heyday of U/C but I'm glad to be around this new Golden Era we have going.

[john e. holliday]

That is sad that a great field is lost.   But, I am guilty in not keeping the flying going at the old KCK Control Line Circle for the Flying Eagles.   Got into competition and  forgot about the fun flying.   Also getting people started, like Mr. Brooks who test flew my Guillows Rat Racer with the McCoy that didn't exist at the time.   Oh, I helped a few along the way, but not enough.   1963 was the first year of me trying to get competitive in combat, rat race and navy carrier.   Now the old circle is a ball diamond and the new one became a soccor field with lights that is not used because of the neighborhood.   Anybody remember the circle at Swope Park in KCMo with lots of grass areas.  Last time I was out there the only thing left was the original asphalt strip for take off.   The big tree has been removed and the ground dug down for more soccor fields. 

Now is that really the Bob Hunt with sun glasses and lots of hair I see on the left?

[Tom Luciano]

Doc,
  I had the pleasure of meeting Bob last year. He is an absolute gentleman as you know! I probably knew him before but I was just a little kid running around the field back then. Now I know why everyone speaks so highly of him. I wish he still posted here since he is a walking encyclopedia of history, not just of the Union Club, but the hobby in general. Like Clint, I find the history of all this to be fascinating....

Yes, that is Bob with Frank in front of him holding his plane!

[Mike Keville]

I can relate!  In the 1950s we (the "Hi-Way Glo Bugs") flew on four oiled-dirt circles at a site in Wallworth Park, Haddonfield, NJ.  Sometime in the mid-1980s, while on a business trip to Philly, I drove out to that grand old site, only to find it covered with apartments/condos.  Couldn't locate any of the "old gang" either.  <sigh>

Someone above mentioned Rich's HobbyTowne in Parsippany, NJ.  Went there once, back in '61, when visiting NJ from Illinois.  What a marvelous place!  Too bad it (and others like it are long gone.)

[EddyR]

Myself and several other flyers from the Binghamton area went to contest there in the 50's. We would leave Binghamton at 2AM and get there around 8AM.
Ed