The publisher discovered some 16mm silent film from the great Chicago Radio Control Nationals. For a couple years running in the early 1970s the Navy opened it’s gates to the entire AMA national contest. Free flight, control line, radio control Pattern, Pylon and Scale were scattered all over the large base. There’s a lot of waiting around time in competition and if you brought a bicycle, you could get to the other venues and see the top people and airplanes from all disciplines. Also on this reel was some of the 1973 Glenview Nationals and the 1974 pattern master’s fly-off in Wichita, Kansas which turned out to be a contest of big wind and brave pilots. Some famous people were at Chicago: Phil Kraft with his Kwik Fly, Don Lowe and his Phoenix, Doc Brooks and Cutlass, Jim Kirkland and a mustang-like Miss America. Jim’s caller was Hal DeBolt. Jim Martin made a sensation with his ultra-fast Banshee. Formula 1 pylon was first being flown and Jerry Smith made a big start to the event.
