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For some odd reason the
venue for the 1954 F.A.I. World Model Air Olympics was not mentioned in this
pictorial featured in the November 1954 issue of Air Trails magazine.
However, an article appeared in the July 27, 1954 edition of
The New York Times newspaper stating that the event took place at
Suffolk County Air Force Base in New York state. The 1955 event also occurred
there according to this 1955 Air Trails article entitled "International Meets: Rubber
Power Wakefield F.A.I. Free Flight 'Gas'." Do you recognize anyone here?
World Model Air Olympics
 Wheeley Wins F.A.I. "Gas" for U.S.A.
Power plane champion Carl R. Wheeley of Washington, D. C., scored a total
of 844 out of a possible 990 points with his distinctive design (in air, just
taking off, above).
Second place honors went to Silvio Lanfranchi flying for Switzerland whose
technique left no doubts that each flight was "unassisted rise-off-ground."
Score: 831 points.
Member of last year's F.A.I. power team also, Mr. Wheeley has a distinguished
record in U. S. competitions. He is the technical director of Ute Academy of
Model Aeronautics, edits AMA's monthly "Model Aviation." Design follows his
"Senator" and "Little Senator" planes.
U. S.'s Joe Elgin fires up English entry which he proxy-flew for Ron Moulten;
plane is an Amazon 444, designed by Mrs. Stan Hill. Great Britain scored 1,533
points; U. S. was first with 2,404.
Defending champ Dave Kneeland of Hickman Mills, Mo., put up fine performance
to take 3rd (783 points). Combined Wakefield and F.A.I. gas events were sponsored
by Convair, aircraft manufacturers.
Australia's King Tops Wakefield
Considered Australia's best model plane flyer. Alan King of Victoria won
the Wakefield event with a perfect score of 900 points (5 flights of 3 minutes
maximum each); he had to use a spare model for his final flight. Proxy flyers
took 2nd for England. 3rd for Australia.
Hands-on-knees stance assumed by Robert Dunham, Tulsa, outstanding rubber
flyer, from Southwest. Bob was 5th to help U. S. team take 1st in group flying
with 2,404 points.
System for winding rubber motor outside the fuselage (which is guarded by
a shield) was devised by Andrew Bobkowski from Guatemala. Guatemala team was
eighth in both power and rubber.
Underpowered but undaunted was entry flown in person by Kiyotatsu Miyoski
representing Japan. Assigned as his helper was the noted West Coast photographer
and modeler Fudo Takagi of Convair.
Posted February 13, 2021
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