ADVENTURES IN IMAGINATION

so [Music] so it's often been said that imagination makes the world go round constructive imagination that puts brains and idle hands to work the literature of science is crammed with the adventures in imagination that have lifted obscure citizens to the pinnacles and benefited all mankind insignificant events that tempered with imagination brought great results newton and the falling apple galileo and the swinging chandelier archimedes and the overflowing bathtub made lasting contributions to the advance of civilization james watts saw his mother's tea kettle playing tricks with its lid and his imagination gave us the first steam engine ben franklin went out and flew a kite to discover the relationship between lightning and electricity a plot of raw rubber boiled over on charles goodyear's stove and he learned the secret of vulcanizing imagination mixed with a radio-controlled model airplane led to the development of the guided missile and to the better defense of our country nature has given each one of us more imagination than we ever used but to keep this world turning in the right direction every bit that is used should be guided toward constructive ends taught the building of good citizens and a better life in 1947 a new force entered the campaign to build good citizens by providing a constructive outlet for kids imagination plymouth motor corporation sponsored the first international model plane contest to create an interesting practical activity for the youth of the world 500 qualified for competition in the final events and during the four-day contest three new national records were made the 1947 contest was so successful that it was decided to broaden the scope of the second international pal clubs began organizing early in 1948 to make this a year-round activity each club was sponsored by local plymouth dealers who provided space for meetings and for building and working on models here they get ready to compete for the honor of representing their community in the big international for only 500 of the top model builders of the world will reach the finals in more than 200 cities approximately 25 000 model plane builders were busy preparing for the second international contest and in these cities representing every state in the union and many foreign countries boys and girls working with skilled leaders are being helped to form a constructive outlook on life [Music] these local contests arouse as much excitement as an old-fashioned circus day with gigantic parades that draw crowds to see their young citizens competing for the high records needed to qualify in the international around the middle of august 1948 detroit the automobile capital of the world once again became the international center of model plane builders contest headquarters in one of the city's big hotels was alive with the pre-flight preparations as academy of model aeronautics licenses were renewed and checked and official helmets and t-shirts were issued [Music] and six blocks from the hotel one of detroit's largest plymouth dealers provided tools and space for repairs and adjustments on the first evening hb heberling plymouth's assistant general sales manager welcomed the contestants who were later briefed on weight requirements processing restrictions timing of flights and all of the other regulations that govern events sanctioned by the academy of model aeronautics with morning of the second day the zero hour was near and buses were waiting to carry the contestants into what might be the most dramatic hours of their lives perhaps even to set new marks that would be recorded around the world [Music] this is the picture they've seen in many dreams for many months setting foot on newport field the great naval auxiliary airfield but like the seasoned veterans they are no sign of excitement breaks through their expressions of self-confidence there's too much to be done there's no time for excitement among the contestants as test flights begin to fill the air these are anxious moments though will these models act up like small children in front of company even the lollipop brigade wonders about that more and more planes bite into the air testing the plans and work of many months taking young hearts with them up toward the clouds [Music] in the meantime more contestants are coming in and other recent arrivals are weighing in their planes to prove they carry at least four ounces for every hundred square inches of wing area test flights and official flights are now being made at the same time in a spectacle that goes far beyond anything offered by a three-ring circus [Music] [Music] all over the field there's enough rubber being wound to bounce a check to the moon here a husband and wife are winding up for a takeoff while a father and son team up to twist the bands into a rope of driving energy as this three-boy power combination turns and turns with high hopes for the immediate future but over here our little pals are still trying to prove there really is such a thing as an all-day sucker and why not when they have a flight like this to look at history was made this day at newport field with four new national records in the outdoor rubber-powered events from the duration flights and the rubber-powered events we go to the university of detroit stadium to see the latest in stunt and speed flying speed there should be a much faster word for use in cases like this with gas power in the second international a record of more than 144 miles an hour was made and the jet propelled model traveled at the rate of almost 142 miles an hour model plane builders have invented a name of their own for planes fast enough for the international speed events they're known as hot jobs which are a couple of pretty good words to describe these four pound projectiles in their flight and all that keeps this energetic missile from turning itself into a candidate for the next boy scout junk drive is the pilot's skill as he operates the movable tail surfaces with some mighty mighty strong steel lines on the sidelines seven-year-old billy payton of vallejo california the youngest contender is making out his flight plan for the stunt event but don't get the idea that this contest is a male monopoly because here's 11 year old sandra pigney of elmhurst illinois back for her second international contest and good news she flew her planes to the high point girls championship [Music] sometimes there's almost as much drama in watching the attempts that are made to start these planes there's always that question will it or hold it this looks all right there we go oh oh but that can be fixed up yeah there it's not that serious look at those planes taking off that ought to make you feel better it does hasn't it sure sure i thought it would those people over there understand they know he can fix it up and he's taking it like a good sport and i'll let you in on something else there were three national records made in the control line speed events yeah two in the junior class and one on the senior okay let's see some stunt flying take a look at this vertical climb and loop [Music] and here's a nice inside loop these stunt models can be made to do almost anything that a full-size plane does anything and a little bit more this model is dancing under his complete control as a hand pegged husband [Music] and now for more stunt flying stunting with a smoke screen [Music] more stunting with william tell accuracy watch the air go out of that balloon whoop so fast we couldn't see it put the air back on the balloon and try it again yes that last scene was pretty sure to bring scottish enthusiasm up to a scurrying pitch making one balloon do the job of two is always a broad sight to a scotsy and as the kilties move in the shades of evening come down while the crowds begin arriving for the night stunt flying [Music] but since the human eye is still superior to the best color film let's go back to daylight and the gas powered free flight events at newport field weighing in is one of the first requirements each model has to weigh at least a hundred ounces for each cubic inch of piston displacement some of the engines weigh as little as two ounces and the largest planes send the scale up to almost seven pounds assembly of the larger models has to be completed after the contestants reach the field they're too big to be transported in one piece and of course little sister has to get into the fun too so pop goes on the assembly line spectators begin to crowd around the launching areas of the contestants and with high hopes one of the boys pace of return label on his plane some of these models fly as far as 50 miles and most of them come back but a fella has to be sure here goes one with dad acting as ground [Music] crew [Music] there's good experience for a football end or a baseball shortstop [Music] makes me kind of thirsty too we'll have to get that cooler filled son some models don't have the instincts of a homing pigeon so a retriever truck goes to the rescue no damage this trip these models can really take a good bouncing [Music] and watch this sail plane as it tries to impersonate a golf ball even with a smack like that only a bent landing gear but when adjustments and repairs are needed these contestants know what to do [Music] and they have the tools to work with in bringing their engines fuselage and wings back to competitive form and the place to go for first aid when a contestant himself needs a little patching but let's go upstairs again [Music] and still they poke their noses toward the clouds [Music] sometimes they seem a little happy to be back again not this one though she's climbing like a homesick angel and down here on earth for lollipop kids are still trying to figure out how it's done from the chattering engines of the gas powered free flights on newport field we go to the michigan state fair coliseum for the quietest of all model plane contests the indoor stick and cabin events [Music] planes of this type are too delicate for flying anywhere but indoors even the draft from an open door might crash them into a small pile of splinters propellers move with all the speed of a small boy on his way to the dentist they make less than 100 revolutions a minute just enough to keep the models aloft [Music] this is poetry in motion poetry is fragile as a baby's dream building and flying these planes requires outstanding craftsmanship and for many it becomes a lifelong hobby this contestant has built models for 20 years [Music] but he still gets advice from the [Music] gallery [Music] making the material that covers the model surface calls for great skill and that small red-haired boy in the striped sweater partly approves of using all castor oil in this way a few drops of castor oil and airplane dope poured on water spread into a broad thin sheet of microfilm this film is then lifted off of the water ready to be used as a covering for the model's framework [Music] it's so sensitive that by breathing lightly on it the pitch of a propeller can be changed and everyone on the floor has to walk with care because a too rapid air current can break the delicate structure no other type of model can stay in the air with as little effort as these indoor rubber powered planes they're almost as light as a puff of smoke with a weight of less than one tenth of an ounce [Music] [Applause] frank cummings of los angeles launches his bubble on wings he won this event in the open division and came within two minutes of equaling the national record cummings amassed points made him the open high point champion of this second international contest but there was time too for relaxation between contests and open house was held at the u s naval air station on grow sealed [Music] and more fun at the hotel [Music] and then on the sixth day came the final big event [Music] the top model plane builders and flyers of the world have gathered to bring the second international to its close [Music] and here come the best of the best among them the holders of seven national records to take their places in the winter circle [Music] but first even in the midst of all this excitement let's eat and now the time has really come as rc somerville plymouth's general sales manager opens the ceremony of awarding 141 trophies and 135 cash prizes kt keller president of chrysler corporation hands a heavy one to jack hod smith of portland oregon junior high point winner to start the presentation that continued on for several hours donald g hobel of buffalo senior high point champion receives his trophy from general robert c candy of the united states air force a van der zee chrysler corporation vice president keeps the procession of trophies moving with another award d s evans president of plymouth makes the award for the highest speed in the jet events bob thor here represents the team of thor and h lundqvist both of minneapolis sandra pinckney of elmhurst illinois girl high point winner gets both the trophy and the kiss from c e blanker president of de soto leonard wagner niagara falls new york first place winner in the open class a speed contest is given his trophy by h l weckler chrysler corporation vice president d a wallace president of the chrysler sales corporation presents trophies to the open and senior first place winners in the stenson flying scale contest george earl of detroit and robert radda of berwin illinois and here's bob thor of thorne lundqvist back again this time as first place winner in the open jet propelled event with him is donald block also of minneapolis winner in the senior class and new national record holder h.c moak plymouth vice president makes the presentation the first place stunt winners in all three classes get their awards from c b thomas president of chrysler export their lewis andrews newton massachusetts jack gilroy north hollywood californian and clifford shivel roselle park new jersey but early in the evening billy payton of vallejo california is honored as the youngest contestant h b heberling plymouth's assistant general sales manager makes the award first place winners in all three classes of indoor stick bill atwood glendale california karl brewer detroit and raymond white's medford massachusetts with h r matheny vice president and operating manager chrysler highland park and two more new national record holders with c.l jacobson assistant to general manager of chrysler corporation these champs harold stoffer of indianapolis and carl redlin of detroit made their marks in the rubber-powered outdoor cabin event and john corter of hamilton ontario canada won in the junior class so far into the night went the parade of winners of near champions and of new champions receiving cash awards permanent trophies and the stinson aircraft and air trails magazine perpetual trophies besides redland still from block the names of other new champions hague parchanian cambridge massachusetts robert perkins clarksburg west virginia kenneth kimmel fort wayne indiana and edward sweet deloitte wisconsin are to be emblazoned for all time in the annals of model plane competition for this has truly been one of the most memorable and successful contests in the 44 year history of the hobby not because of the second international alone but also because it still further stimulates the organizing of pal clubs throughout the world to keep kids busy at constructive occupations all through the year helping to make a vast contribution in character building and the stimulation of good citizenship but hold on there we almost forgot about you kids you'd better go on home now and start building your own models because we've come to the end [Music] you