1971 Nats

1971 Nats

1971 Nats

By National Model Aviation Museum staff

As seen in the April 2019 issue of Model Aviation.

IN 1971, AMA OFFICIALS sought to repeat the success of the previous year’s Nats and make it even bigger and better than before. They accomplished that and more. In fact, the 1971 Nats was the best attended to date, with more than 2,000 participants. With 1,264 competitors, more than 400 mechanics, 120 officials, 300-plus naval air station personnel, and countless spectators, more than 2,000 people were directly involved in the success of the 1971 Nats!

Not only was attendance good, but the universe seemed to come together to offer those 2,000-plus individuals a wonderful week of flying. Every modeler experiences a frisson of fear when he or she sees storm clouds gathering on the horizon—so did those in attendance this particular year. Fortunately, the rain that greeted them on the opening day of competition soon gave way to glorious sunshine.

Nats promotional poster (National Model Aviation Museum Archives, #0001 AMA Collection).

Nats promotional poster (National Model Aviation Museum Archives, #0001 AMA Collection).

American Aircraft Modeler (July 1971 and November 1971; National Model Aviation Museum’s Lee Renaud Memorial Library).

As in the previous year, the Nats were held at the Glenview Naval Air Station in Illinois. Midsummer in the Midwest is typically characterized by high temperatures and sticky humidity, but the 1971 Nats provided modelers with a cool and pleasant week. This was particularly welcome to those attendees who weren’t lucky enough to score a berth in the barracks and had to rough it in tents.

Among the thousands of participants in the ’71 Nats, one name on the list of winners stands out: Mark Radcliff. He won Best Senior in RC Pattern in the C Pattern-Novice category. You might be familiar with him because he’s the same Mark Radcliff who currently serves as the AMA’s District III vice president!

Already an accomplished Pattern flier, Mark was only 16 years old when he and his father embarked on a 10-hour road trip from Wintersville, Ohio, to the Nats in Chicago. He flew a Lanier Citroen with a Webra .61 Blackhead engine and an EK Logictrol radio.

Not expecting to place in the competition, neither Mark nor his father packed dress clothes. Imagine their surprise when they were invited to an awards ceremony and winners’ banquet! Despite his worry that he wasn’t dressed well enough for the banquet, Mark nevertheless attended and was in awe of his heroes, the aeromodeling greats of the time: Phil Kraft, Jim Kirkland, Ron Chidgey, Jim Whitely, and more.

Although the National Model Aviation Museum doesn’t have Mark’s airplane in its collection, it does have an EK Logictrol radio similar to the one that he used when he won in 1971. The museum also has some great memorabilia, including a promotional poster and issues of American Aircraft Modeler documenting that memorable Nats that took place approximately 50 years ago.

EK Logictrol radio (National Model Aviation Museum Collection; donated by George E. King, 1998.12.02).

EK Logictrol radio (National Model Aviation Museum Collection; donated by George E. King, 1998.12.02).

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