Written and submitted by DS (04/2013); Reformatted by JS (05/2013)
Dick Sarpolus, Club Historian of the Monmouth Model Airplane Club, composed the following history of the club and submitted it to the AMA History Project in April of 2013.
The Monmouth Model Airplane Club Our History 1964-On by Dick Sarpolus
The Middletown Model Airplane Club, a C/L group, had been formed in the 1950s. Based in Middletown, NJ, the members flew on fields, mostly schoolyards, in that town and the surrounding area. By the early 1960s, the Club was no longer active, as C/L flying was slowing down and some of the members had begun experimenting with R/C flying. In 1964, a few of the old Club members along with some of the newer R/C fliers got together at Bob Peru’s Hobby Headquarters shop in Red Bank NJ to talk about the start of a new club, for R/C airplane flying.
It was decided to call the new group the Monmouth Model Airplane Club because of its location and because the old Club letterhead, MMAC, could still be used. A little money was left from the old C/L club, and was used to get the new group going. With help from a friendly lawyer, the new Club was incorporated around September 1964. One of the first things we did was require that all members belong to the AMA, and get our Club sanctioned by the AMA. We did this to support our hobby, and for the insurance coverage offered by the AMA. The first few Club meetings were held in an old railroad station in Port Monmouth; the place even had a still working potbellied stove, which came in handy during the winter months. Our first elected Club officers, for 1964 and 1965, were Joe Roslyn as President, Rip Ripley as Vice-President, Walt Watkins as Secretary, and Dick Sarpolus as Treasurer. Within a few months, a new permanent meeting place was found in the Middletown Community Center, and our Club was on its way.
Our flying site was established behind a large manufacturing plant in Holmdel NJ. The plant was a Division of the Bendix Corporation, and their management gave us permission to fly on part of their large property that they leased to a local farmer. We arranged with the farmer to cut the grass for us, on an area surrounded by the corn he raised.
In our first year, we came up with field safety rules, including a frequency control system, and a muffler requirement. We purchased some equipment for Club use, including a foam wing cutter and a sound level meter. We began the practice of having coffee and donuts at the monthly meetings, along with a raffle and project-of-the-month activity.
After the first year, we had 28 members and $261.00 in our treasury. Here’s a list of the members from that time: R. Richards, E. Evans, D. Sutphin, W. Byrd, T. McMullen, D. Braun, J. Roslyn, J. Robinson, L. Boyce, F. Sproul, R. Roane, B. Ashton, E. Morris, J. Sorge, F. Kingsbury, L. Seip, J. Adamchak, K. Robertson, R. Peru, M. Ely, L. Ripley, W. Watkins, J. Valente, E. Dorfman, R. Sarpolus, E. Kojola, E. Smith, T. Voorhees. At the time of this writing, 49 years later in 2013, only one of these early members remains still active in the Club, and that is Dick Sarpolus, this historian.
Right now, in 2013, there are two other still active members that have been in this Club since its very early days, Ernie Emrich and Horace Hagen. The three long time members, Sarpolus, Emrich, and Hagen continue to support the Club and actively enjoy this great hobby.
Our Club remains basically the same since its beginnings in 1964. We provide an organization, a structure, and a flying field, for like-minded individuals to enjoy the hobby of radio controlled model aviation. We maintain elected Club officers, President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, along with other positions such as Field Manager and Newsletter Editor, to manage the Club and its activities. We require all members to also be AMA members. The Club is legally incorporated and insured. We hold monthly meetings, we print a monthly Club Newsletter, we maintain our flying field, we organize flying competitions as fun activities for our members, we provide training and education for those new to the hobby, and social events at the field and meetings for our members. We promote good relationships between our Club and our local communities.
Our membership - and our finances - have gone up and down over the years. At times, we have had more than 125 members; at times, as few as 30 members. The Club has held dinner dance parties, field picnics, local hobby shows, etc. We have had members who flew Control Line airplanes as well as R/C, members who ran R/C model boats, and members active with R/C helicopters. Club interests have ranged from high level competition flying to strictly fun and relaxing sport flying.
As the Club has changed over the years, and events have impacted the Club’s direction, the following timeline recaps Club history.
1964 - The Club was organized at Bob Peru’s Hobby Headquarters shop in Red Bank. The Club incorporated in Sept. 1964, and our monthly meetings began at the railroad station in Port Monmouth.
1965 - Our flying site was established behind the Bendix plant in Holmdel. Our meeting place was moved to the Middletown Community Center. Our first Annual Club Banquet was held at Bucky Smith’s in Keansburg.
1966 - Our formal Club Newsletter was started, our muffler rule was set up, and we held our first “public invited” R/C Show in Middletown.
1967 - We began our program of Annual Club Trophy competitions and awards. 1968 - Our Club held a large public R/C Show, with manufacturers exhibits, at the Molly Pitcher Hotel in Red Bank, with seaplane flying behind the hotel in the Shrewsbury River.
1969 - We rented the Asbury Park Convention Hall and held a large R/C Trade Show. Didn’t make out too well, as the first WRAMS Show was held two weeks earlier, so we elected to get out of the trade show business. This year we organized and held our first AMA sanctioned R/C contest, an R/C Sailplane meet. Very successful, and we went on to hold an annual soaring contest for more than ten years.
1970 - The Monmouth R/C Boat Club was organized, with help and participation from the MMAC. Many of the initial members belonged to the MMAC. This group held frequent racing events over the next few years, running at ponds first in Colts Neck and later in Lakehurst. For a time, the MMBC held its annual banquet along with the MMAC.
Early 1970s - MMAC began its dominance in pattern and other R/C contest events in this area, with our members sweeping many top awards. A good relationship was started with the County Park officials, and our first kids model contest was held. Our Club held many AMA sanctioned contests, for Soaring, Pattern, Pylon Racing, Old Timers, Helicopters, etc.
1970s - As our Club had many active competitive fliers, we began to organize and hold AMA sanctioned contests for the benefit of other fliers. For more than ten years, this Club held many meets for sailplane, pattern, helicopter, pylon racing, etc. competition. 1972 - We lost our flying field in Holmdel, and relocated to an area in Wayside. 1973 - We installed a paved runway and pit area at our new field, now called Fary Flying Field. Our Club began to arrange many local displays and demonstrations, promoting the hobby and attracting new members.
Mid- to late-1970s - The flavor of the Club changed as many top fliers left the competition scene; the Club activities turned mainly to sport/fun flying. We continued our local displays and flying exhibitions.
Late-1970s - Our Club organized and held a series of R/C Airboat Races, in a local pond/lake. The boats were the Dumas Swamp Buggy, with a max engine size of .25. The turnout was very good, a lot of family activity, with some sons and daughters also running the airboats. There was the Harmer Hoop, a protective wire hoop over the prop used by some after Jim chopped his finger in a prop. Also the Jump Ramp made by Pat McInery, now that made the racing more exciting. Records were kept of the season’s races and end of the year trophies and prizes were awarded.
1976 - There was enough C/L flying interest around, that a spin-off group helped form the TOPS Club, that was the Township of Ocean Prop Swingers, and for a few years this C/L group was doing its thing.
1979 - With the interest in Old Time FF models for R/C flying, a spin-off group formed the Over-The-Hill-Gang, with Joe Corneille’s guidance, for some old timer flying fun. 1982 - Our Club flying strip was resurfaced. Our meeting spot was changed, to the Eatontown Community Center.
1985 - With Club sponsorship, one of our members, Dick Sarpolus, was elected to the AMA’s Modeling Hall of Fame.
1987 - Another major change for the Club, we lost our flying site to a housing development, and searched for a new location. We found it, in Freehold, on a section of the state’s Battleground Park.
1988 - We promoted a good relationship with the State Park, spent more than $5,000 on our new field location, and began flying there.
1990s - With the large new flying site, Club interest grew in larger airplanes, and many members moved to large gas burner airplanes. Sport flying, not competition, was our major activity.
1993 - There was so much local interest in large airplanes that a spin-off group formed an IMAA Chapter, the Magnum Squadron, for quarter scale and larger airplanes. This group worked within the MMAC for their large airplane activity.
1997 - The State Park had other plans for the area we were flying from, and after negotiations, we moved to a field across the road from our site. The new location required a lot of work and was considerably smaller in size, so an immediate effect was an end to the large airplane flying.
2005 - By this time, the Club had seen a large increase in helicopter activity, so much so that a group of the helicopter fliers split off and formed their own helicopter club. The 2000s - Many improvements were made to our flying field. A large storage shed, to house our field equipment, barbecue grille, etc., sections of chain link fence for safety, pilot stations, Club signs, frequency control equipment, seating benches, a port-a-john. A number of picnic tables/seats, a number of heavy duty workbenches, a number of flying station benches, our flying site became a really good place to fly.
2010 - Another of our Club members, Horace Hagen, was elected into the AMA’s Modeling Hall of Fame. Our Club is proud of our two Hall of Fame members.
MMAC Presidents over the Years 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
J. Roslyn J. Roslyn D. Sarpolus D. Sarpolus J. Friend E. Weiss J. Friend B. Hagerman J. Friend G. Malinowski J. Harmer D. Robbins J. Friend J. Friend D. Newcomb J. Harmer M. Hom
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
H. Goedkoop H. Goedkoop W. Pauluka W. Paulukan D. Saggese L. Schneider L. Schneider M. Marafioti W. Paulukanis J. Harmer J. Franey --------------------J. Harmer
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
H. Goldenberg S. Harmer S. Harmer P. Brainard P. Brainard J. Hamilton M. Schneider M. Hamilton/P.
Mularchuk P. Mularchuk P. Mularchuk P. Mularchuk P. Mularchuk P. Mularchuk P. Mularchuk
1966: A group shot of the Monmouth Model Airplane Club members.
A collage of shots, from the first five years of the Club’s activities.
April 1966 issue: One of the first Club Newsletter issues.
A group of MMAC members at a contest, with their trophies won that day.
A group of MMAC members at a contest, with their winnings, 8 fliers, 11 trophies.
Members and their wives, with Club trophies won that year, at the annual Club banquet.
Club members and the trophies they won, at the Club’s annual banquet.
Two of the Club members with trophies they won.
An announcement for one of the Club’s early annual banquets.
Some of the Club members in 2007, with their flying wings.
Some of the Club members in 2003, doing what they do best at the Club flying field, eating hot dogs.
This page is a text transcription of the original document, made automatically and may contain errors. .