SDASM Static Show

After a couple of years absence, we were asked by the South Dakota Air and Space Museum board to be part of their annual open house activities. Mike Schwab and Joe Drab of the museum board contacted me several months ago about having an R/C presence at the show.

We renewed our previous plan of a static display and some electric demos in a space outside the museum building. As a bonus, a few awards were given out by the museum staff for the static display.

Our usual South Dakota weather put a damper on the electric demo. We felt our electrics would end up in Nebraska if we tried to launch them in the 25 mph winds.

About 20 aircraft were included in the static display. We placed the warbirds under the wing of the BT-19 display for a great effect. The rest of the planes were displayed in the missile display area. As a crowd getter, we projected Realflight 4 on the wall behind the display and let the public take a turn on the sticks.

There were several other attractions in addition to our display. The plastic modeler’s had a table set up across from us and were doing ‘make-and-take’ Snap Tite F-14 with the kids present. There were also several Korean War vets who spoke and there was a short history of Black Hills aviation by Norma and Vern Kraemer.

About noon, Mike Schab and a couple of his assistants made their airplane inspections and made their decisions for the awards.

About 1:30 PM, with KNBN news cameras present, Mike made the presentations. The Best ARF award went to Clancy Kingsbury’s Focke Wulfe. Zac Roller was awarded the Best Builder award for his Pitts Python. The SDASM top award went to Dave Dewsbury ‘s quarter scale Lavochkin LA9. Dave is from Custer and his big warbird was certainly deserving of the award. During the morning, spectators were asked to rank the planes they liked best. Those ballots favored Zac Roller’s Pitts Python with the People’s Choice award.

Although we were a little disappointed in the high winds cancelling the electric airplanes, overall, the show was a great success. A special thanks to Doc McGuigan for patiently manning the simulator for much of the morning. Also to Ken Corrin for taking the pictures and last to John Pondish for making a special trip home to bring his Raptor so he could fly in formation with Ken Corrin’s .

As we packed up the airplanes to go home, Mike Schwab came by one last time and commented on how our efforts were a real asset to the open house and asked if we would be a part of it again next year. I assured him we would.