I was lucky last year at the CL Scale Nats to be able to report on the event for the NatsNews. Spending time there was relaxing and, fortunately for us, the winds and weather were perfect. This would have been a great year for Charlie Bauer and his turbine-powered U-2, if he had had room in his van for it.
     There were many vans at the event, and they were packed—enough that as I lay on the warm, smooth asphalt of the CL circle, I could have spent hours admiring the details among the raised panels, cylinder heads, and wire rigging, thanks to the Scale-modeling content packed carefully inside those transportation vehicles.
     CL airplanes are organized in a line at an event so that the leadouts can be outstretched. It's all orderly and, as a reporter, I appreciate this system; I don't have to go hunting for the aircraft in competition.
     At the end of that long line were a couple of models by one of my favorite contributors: Frank Beatty. He allowed me to pour my eyes and camera over his creations and, while I was doing so, we got to talking.
     "You know, you've had one of my construction articles for sometime," Frank declared.
     I was surprised and embarrassed all at once; his account deserved investigation. Sure enough, among our files was a well-kept treasure that Mr. Beatty submitted awhile ago: the coolest little CL model I had ever seen.
     His Laird Super Solution is a 1/2A-powered profile model of the famous Doolittle-piloted aircraft from the racing days of Thompson and Bendix. Now I wish I hadn't sold all of my Cox Black Widow engines on eBay.
     Participating in a race isn't everyone's interest, but most of us will agree that racing is about the best spectator's sport out there. I've been a spectator for years, but last year I was offered the chance to sample racing a model—and to do it with the flavor of Madera and Reno, which is all-out, heart-pounding, can't-make-the-air-get-out-of-the-way-any-faster racing. And to make it even more frightening, I'd get to do it Halloween weekend in the Wild West.
     Check out my report on the Frightfully Fast Bash. The experience was both an adventure and a retreat. It assured me that the spirit of competition is a practice in brotherhood, family, and sportsmanship. These racers know how to pack a van, too. And if you find yourself at one of these USRA celebrations, I highly recommend the punch.
     Every now and then, we get submissions that include phenomenal stories from members who tell about a recent project. We've printed a few, and if I had to categorize these pieces, I'd call them our "Craftsmen Series." Almost any well-told and photo-documented submission is eligible.
     This month we bring you a story from Gary Ritchie. He had such a successful experience with a kit (yes, kits are still available) that his momentum in the scale pursuit went wild. His S.E.5a came out beautiful and, as do so many detail-oriented people, he archived his project with stunning imagery. (Please note our cover this month.)
     Did you hear that? Maybe there's something in your ears that's impeding your ability to appreciate the sounds we enjoy as modelers; is it the sound of glue drying? No, but our hearing is a sense that many of us take for granted.
     Ward Van Duzer noticed a loss of his hearing and put research practices as a modeler to work to find out what was up with his audio abilities. What he learned may surprise you, but also important is that his message is a reminder that we should protect our ears as best we can. You know those tightly packed vans I was telling you about? Our ears can get that way too.
     If your club is looking for a shelter that's penny-wise, weather-resistant, and portable, check out the project that the Rag Tag RC Association devised and constructed. William Locke shares the story of how the club members met the needs of their landlord and have a structure they"re proud of that can weather them through. MA