Trophy from the past.

[Dallas Hanna]

Old USA trophy from 1950.  Does anyone know the trivia about this old trophy from Michigan State dated year 1950.  It is sitting on a shelf in an antique shop some 50 miles west of Sydney, Australia.  How did this trophy get this far from it's original home?

[Mike Scholtes]

I'm no expert on model history but the trophy reads "Sponsored by Greater Detroit Plymouth Dealers." It probably is from the Plymouth contest series, sponsored by Plymouth Motors, that was a big deal around 1950, in the East and Midwest of the USA. There are others on this site who surely will have detailed information and hopefully will chime in. How it made it to Sydney may be lost in the mists of time. Detroit is in the State of Michigan of course, but the trophy probably has nothing to do with the State of Michigan per se.

[Scott Richlen]

What a great trophy!

Looking at the little figure, do you think they took a figure of a person swinging a tennis racket, sawed off the racket, and then connected wires to his hand?

I still like it though.

[Derek Barry]

That's an awesome trophy.

Derek

[Chris Cox]

A trophy like that would deserve to be placed where it could be seen on a daily basis. Beautiful!

[Dave Harmon]

It should not be too difficult to determine who the trophy was presented to considering that the plaque says '1st Place'.
At least that what it looks like in that picture.

[FLOYD CARTER]

RATS!  I've often wondered where that trophy went.

[Ted Fancher]

Old USA trophy from 1950.  Does anyone know the trivia about this old trophy from Michigan State dated year 1950.  It is sitting on a shelf in an antique shop some 50 miles west of Sydney, Australia.  How did this trophy get this far from it's original home?

OMG Dallas.  I hope you bought it and brought it home where it belongs.  What a nice piece of history.

It does, however, make me feel a little old as it is only nine years earlier than my first Nats.  It's in better shape though.

Ted

[FLOYD CARTER]

The Plymouth meet in Detroit was called "Plymouth International Model Plane Contest".  A pretentious title.  It was by invitation only.  It was necessary to win a Plymouth regional contest, and the Plymouth Motor Co. paid transport, lodging, and all other expenses to Detroit for its "Internats".

I actually won a trophy at the Los Angeles Plymouth Regional contest in 1950.  I think it was a 2nd place in stunt, judging from the small size of the cup.  But not good enough to get a free trip to Detroit.

[mike londke]

I bet Paul Smith knows. Modify the title of the post so it catches his eye.

[Ted Fancher]

Did a google search and found this:

Its of the 1948 version of the Plymouth meet.  Some "stunt" coverage starts about 13 minutes into it. 

Ted

[Mike Scholtes]

Perhaps if we had bagpipe marching bands in full Highlands regalia like the Plymouth meet (about 14:30 into the film) we would draw more spectators to our meets. Or drive them away, hard to tell.

[Gary Dowler]

Did a google search and found this:

Its of the 1948 version of the Plymouth meet.  Some "stunt" coverage starts about 13 minutes into it. 

Ted

Ted, that old film was properly cool!  Love seeing that stuff.  I can imagine the noise level as back then probably no one had a muffler on an engine.

Gary

[Dave Hull]

Lou Andrews won 1st place in 1948 flying a Trixter Invert Junior. 

Might have to find the right magazine to figure out who won in 1950.

[Dallas Hanna]

OMG Dallas.  I hope you bought it and brought it home where it belongs.  What a nice piece of history.

It does, however, make me feel a little old as it is only nine years earlier than my first Nats.  It's in better shape though.

Ted

I'll go back and get a better pic abd price for us Ted.  I didn't ask the going price of it as I was still picking myself up off the floor at the $6000 price tag on a dentist's cabinet.  It was a great bit of kit but not in my workshop for storing all sorts of metal machine cutters!

Would be great to put a name on 1st place for it in 1950.  The burning question is "who brought it downunder".

[john e. holliday]

The Plymouth meet in Detroit was called "Plymouth International Model Plane Contest".  A pretentious title.  It was by invitation only.  It was necessary to win a Plymouth regional contest, and the Plymouth Motor Co. paid transport, lodging, and all other expenses to Detroit for its "Internats".

I actually won a trophy at the Los Angeles Plymouth Regional contest in 1950.  I think it was a 2nd place in stunt, judging from the small size of the cup.  But not good enough to get a free trip to Detroit.

You were a handsome dude even back then.  Did you ask the gorgeous lady for a date?

[FLOYD CARTER]

At that tender age, I was too shy to ask for her phone number.  I soon got over that problem.