jaymen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kphJ5...f=mfu_in_order

We finnally did it boys, check it out! Zel was a real trooper and hung in there with me for several years to make this all happen. This is a 1962 version, 49 years later and still flying. What a testament to Hershel Toomin's ground breaking 4 channel proportional TTPWR tube design from the 1950s. After all these years, Mr. Space Control says it all. I am honored byZels graciousness, patience, and assitance in recreating a historic R/C re-enactment. We are fortunate that Zel has out lasted virtually all of the SoCal pioneers, and is the sole survivor so to speak. Good old Clarance Lee's .61 never missed a beat, it's a premium engine. The Kyosho Clamato was as close as Zel could find in an ARF resembling the 1965 Phantom. Note the rare Mk III red version with yellow S/C logo; only three are know to exist out of around ten manufatured. S/N 491.

ukengineman

Well done, fantastic achievement. The last time I saw a Space Control set in use was here in the UK back in the 1960's - never thought I would see one fly again. Nice smooth flying as well.

Trisquire

I get the impression our hobby reached it's apex in the early '60s. Only small improvements have happened since then.

otrcman

Bravo, Jay. I know you worked long and hard for that moment, as did Zel. Does Dan Garrabrandt know that it has flown ? I don't know if Dan has a computer, so he may not have access to youtube.

In response to Trisquire's comment about the hobby reaching it's apex in the 1960's, there is some merit to that. The hobby had an extreme level of enthusiasm and excitement at that time. And the rate of progress was amazing. Just like the early years of the space race, we had a lot of brilliant and committed people working to make it all happen. And folks were just then beginning to realize their dreams of flying complex, high performance models that looked and flew much like a real plane. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to go back to the radio reliability or the prices for anything. Today we are truly in a golden age of radio quality and price.

Dick Fischer

WacoNut

I remember my dad telling me it took him a whole weeks pay to buy a single channel pulse system back in the day. I don't think I want to go back there
Anthony

Trisquire

I see your point Dick. We have made some progress since then.

Zel

My Feedback: (1)

It is great flying again after 'retiring' from RC flying in 1965! This would never have happened if it had not been for the encouragement and support from Ed Crotty, http://www.RCHallOfFame.org , and a LOT of hard work and frustration by Jay Mendoza! Jay gets all the credit for doing all the work! My part was easy - all I did was get the plane ready.

If I had known what it was going to take to make it happen I probably would never have started. But thanks to Jay, his sacrifices, dedication, persistence, determination and pursuit of perfection it finally happened.

I think Trisquire and Otrcman are right about the hobby reaching it's apex in the early '60s. It seemed that by then that we had reached the Ultimate in RC flying. I could do just about everything that could be done in an airplane with the Space Control. Since then it has been more of an 'evolution' and 'refinement' in the equipment. The advancements in RC equipment since then is staggering! Stuff you can buy and fly now was science fiction back in the Sixties. Nobody could even imagine the technology, "Spread Spectrum, Programmable Control Systems, etc. But as for the basic flight controls, they are still the same.

I flew my first RC plane in 1954 while I was in Galveston, Texas. I saw plans for a Radio Control system using a single gas tube receiver and push button transmitter in Model Airplane News. I built it and installed it in a Free Flight built from a Berkeley Kit called Buccaneer. Push once for 'Right' and twice for 'Left' rudder. I was hooked!

I moved to Washington, DC in 1955 where I met Walt Good, who had developed the 'TTPW' system which was not only fully proportional but had 'Rudder' AND 'Elevator'! I had to have one! So I got the plans from Walt and built the receiver but his system had a big box transmitter, with vacuum tubes, that set on the ground with a hand held, single stick, control box so I designed and built my own 'Hand Held' transistor transmitter. That was 1955 and 1956. I flew it until I moved to California in 1958. When I got to CA the big thing was the multi-channel reed systems. My TTPW only had rudder and elevator. So I switched to 'reeds', even though it was not proportional, so I could get Aileron and Throttle control. But then I met Hershel Toomim who had developed the fully proportional, 4 channel, Space Control System.

That was for me! I immediately dropped the 'reed' system and started flying the 'Space Control' system. It was utter perfection in flying. I learned to fly, full scale, in a J-3 Piper Cub and now I could fly RC just like flying the Cub!

By the 'sixties' RC was really beginning to explode! It seemed that every week there was someone trying something new. RC Engines were being developed for more reliability and control and getting bigger. Clarence Lee was building his Custom '61'. Most of the RC flyers were developing their own 'Ultimate' RC competition planes. I was into competition too but I was what could be called more 'conventional'. I thought that the airplane should at least 'Look Like' a real airplane and not just a 'Stick' with a wing on it.

By the mid-sixties 'Proportional' had pretty much taken over. To me that was the Ultimate in RC flying. With the Space Control I really could do just about everything that could be done in an airplane .

That phase of RC had just about reached, as you say, the 'apex'. Of course it did not stop there. But now very few people design and build their own radios or airplanes. They buy an ARF and a RADIO and go fly! That makes it real easy for the RC flyers of today but in my opinion it takes the greatest fun of all out of it because developing the radios and planes back then was as much of a challenge, and fun, as the actual flying. So all the new-comers have missed out on that phase of the 'Hobby'!

(Please excuse me for reminiscing).

For anyone who would like more RC history you can go to http://www.rchalloffame.org and spend a little time there. Ed Crotty has done an amazing job of putting together a very comprehensive RC History. You can see something about every thing anyone ever did with RC equipment. Just browse the the 'Manufacturers' section. Of course you can find a very good history of Space Control by Clicking the Space Control tab.

For anyone who wants to know about the technical aspects of the Radio Control Products, Jay, (Jaymen), is the 'Expert'. He can tell you just about anything you would like to know and can fix anything for you. He has proved that with the Space Control!

I am very 'rusty' flying now but it gets better with each flight. Like riding a bicycle, once you learn it you never forget but you have to practice to stay proficient but I doubt that I will get back to the level I was in the Sixties. But it is still fun!

Zel

jaymen

Zel is too humble, he put that plane together, and actually he has recently put several planes together, over 4 that I can remember over the last 3 years and installed numerous radios in them and flown them as well, all successfully. After not flying for 40 plus years, on his first flight, he was doing touch and gos at the JMRC field in Pendleton as if he had never missed a day, I was stunned. Recently, he had both eyes worked on and that delayed our flying for several months, I was really worried that it might prevent Zel from flying again, but he tells me his eyesight is better than ever now.

This was not all smooth sailing, there was one time where the plane went crazy, gyrating like a bellydancer all over the sky, and went out of sight until Zel saw it again headed straight down; only nerves of steel and quick reactions on Zels part saved it from being "re-kitted". The Radio was back and forth between Zels and my place so many times we both lost count; each time it would quit, we fixed it, put it back in the plane and it would work for a while, only to quit again, it really tested both of our patience. At one time Zel got so disscouraged and being the wonderful gentleman he is, he felt he was imposing too much on our friendship and wanted to call it quits, but I said no, hell no! We had too much invested to stop now, we were in too deep, failure was not an option...put that way, he agreed, and boy am I glad because now it's all worth it. That said, I'm sure we both privately questioned our own sanity, as did others who were involved.

What this project, and Zel have done for me cannot be fully expressed in words, but I can say that it's one of those once in a lifetime acheivements that nobody can ever take away from you, and I am so glad that it happened. Without all the other people out there who helped us, we could not have done this, it was truly an international effort given that Hideo Tomita, and Rudy both sent us radios, and corresponded, along w/ Ed Crotty, who sent us some system components as well. I also owe much to the Orbit gang, and my mentor Jim Burlile, and my great friend Big John Eliot, who sadly passed away last year before we flew the Space Control. I want to thank Eloy Marez, who along with Jim Burlile, rescued the remainder of the Orbit radio collection from the factory when it closed, and gave it to me, along with one of Zels last Space Control systems, which now resides in the RCHoF in Cleveland. I also sent two of Zel's
and Bob Dunham's Orbitrol 4 channel analog sets to the RCHoF that were in the Orbit collection. Additionally, without the great technical resources and encouragement of my dear friend Bob Lindhorst, who worked on these radio way back when, I would have given up, but Bob would always offer moral support and say: "Hey Jay, you will find it..don't give up!" Lastly, my wife Betsey, she's been an angel putting up with all of this; but hey, she knows what it's about, as she worked at Futaba for over 10 years, which is where I met her.

This effort by Zel, especially now that he flies the plane regularly, is more than an anolomy, it's a true historic milestone that is documented now for future generations. How many of the pioneers can say they did what Zel has done? Most never lived long enough, or are able to still fly like Zel, so we are indebted to him for doing this as a wonderful epilog chapter to the history of early analog full house proportional. There is the added plus of having the master himself, Sr. Space Control, do this, as many recreations are done post humousely and therefore lack the candid retrospective impressions of their original creators. To me, it's all icing on the cake, and I am honored and humbled to have been a small part of the Space Control history.

gene6029

Congrats, nice story.....Gene

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Zel - What a pleasure it is read this story and see the Space Control fly again. I was in attendance when you came to Denver in the early '60s to put on a demo at the Mile Hi flying field. Two modeling events stand out for me personally. I attended the Hobo Meet in Syracuse, Ny in 1957 and saw Dr. Walt Good fly his TTPW and your visit to Denver in early '60s. I had built just about every circuit ever published up till that time but after seeing your demo I knew I had to have a proportional control system.

With this kind of inspiration, I hooked up with Ed Thompson in 1968 and the Royal Classic radio resulted.

Zel

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Sid,

It's good to hear from you. You are an 'old timer' too if you were around when Walt
was flying his TTPW! I am sorry I did not make the Syracuse event, but I was flying
my TTPW then. It was not 'full house' but it was proportional and I loved it!

Space Control was the 'Ultimate when it showed up. It can still do everything that the
new radios can do as far as the basics. Of course we didn't have all the 'Extras' that
are available now but flying the airplane is still the same.

Are you still flying today? If so what equipment are you flying? 'Royal Classic' was after
I quit flying in 1965 so I am not familiar with it. It would like to hear more about your
experiences.

Zel

Dave Harmon

Hi Zel.....
I never thought I would have a chance to speak with you again.
Back in 62' I applied for a job with SC at your Gardena Blvd. cubbyhole.....I think it's still there!!
You asked if I had any experience with audio filters....I didn't so you didn't hire me.
That same day I applied at Pacific Telephone and was hired.
I retired from AT&T after 41 years.
I got in at the beginning of the digital telecommunications revolution and really enjoyed myself.
Of course....nothing stopped me from flying R/C all that time...still am too.
Congrats on flying the Space Control again...a great story made possible by yourself and Jay.
Jim Burlisle is a good friend as well and we yak on amateur radio and telephone about the old days quite a bit.
Thanks a lot....

Frank Schwartz

My Feedback: (1)

Well, goody for you guys. I never saw but three Space controls work. This one on this web site, and one that Hal DeBolt had and the one Zel Ritchie demonstrated at the DC R/c Symposium. He flew it in an Orion with a Johnson 35 R/c and the Johnson pitch changing prop...when slowed down the prop went almost flat and the landings were very slow due to the prop not pulling air. I had to have one and shelled out about 600 bucks in yesterdays dollars. My wife would have killed me if she had known. It crashed every plane I put it in. I would send it back after every crash and then wait months for it to come back. I would call and was never allowed to speak to Ritchie or Toomin as they were always "in meetings". I would beg and grovel and after a few more months it would come back. I finally got tired of every flight being a crash and sold it for practically nothing. The only problem I found in the shop was that as the transmitter filament voltages started slowly to come down, say 1/4 or less volt the centering would drift. It may have been a wonder in its day, but to me it was just another expensive piece of R/C equipment that was over priced and did not come anywhere near meeting expectations. Sure I am ticked off...I was then and am still now, when I think about what I spent and did not get. Phooey to Toomin and nuts to the always unavailable Mr. Ritchie...

Oh, in case you think I did not know how to fly...I still have my trophies from pattern contests using reeds....

Frank Schwartz

My Feedback: (1)

I forgot to mention...that I have been flying R/C since 1948...I still do, and build and fly everything from 1/2 Texaco to Quadra powered giants.
If all that was ever available since then was the Space Control, I would have gone back to Free Flight. Right! I'm 85 and still building and flying and rebuilding classic British Sports cars.... don't mind gettin g older...just don't want to be "old".
Regards to all...excepting the unavailable Mr. Z. when he was at S/C. Zel, if I hurt your feelings...sorry, but that's the way it is....
Still angry...
Frank

dwaynenancy

My Feedback: (62)

Zel, I met you in the mid '60's in Dallas when you were communicating between there and the West Coast. It's a pleasure to say hello again. I'm still flying but not as well as you even if you had a 40+ year layoff. My layoff was for 20 years as I had moved to Florida, just down the street from Bob Violet, because my boys wanted to go fishing. We did. I started flying again when I retired. Since then, we have moved to Amarillo, TX because that is where my grandchildren are and the winds do blow. Thanks and hello. Come and visit.

Dwayne Brown
7003 Rochelle Lane
Amarillo, TX 79109
806-358-2803 H
806-341-0562

bcchi

Hi Sid,Bill Carpenter,
I was in Denver when Zel flew the space control boy have things changed.I have never stopped flying. I stayed in the ignition business for over 30 years,was a good ride and fun most of the time.Due to a serious health problem,brought on by a hospital I closed the ign business last year.I had open heart,nothing to it back to work in five days.A fews days later a crash Staff infection in my sturnum .Was in the hospital 45 days.They took out most of my strunum bone.Left me cut open like a dead Elk for over 10 days.This cost me three more major surgeries.I have titanium bars holding my ribs togeather.So many antibotics it took my hearing. Enough of that.
I still go flying every chance I get. I had to downsize on my airplanes I could not lift the big ones. Probably could now.I still have the Orginal Road Runner airplane 30 years old I done most of the early R&D on the C&H ignitions with this airplane.I did have 6 Road Runners but gave a couple away. I fly all gas hate to admit it but I have several of the Chinese engines.They have C&H igns of course.I am still building more ignitions then I want too. You no how it goes ,when I was in business many fliers bought Chinese igns,now they want C&H of course.I flew your Royal radios for many years no problems I still have one built from a kit. I fly brand F-fasst now.I flew Airtronics for many years Cliff Werick was a very good friend,he flew into Riverton a couple of times to see me.
I bought a couple of old ground base RC transmitters at a farm sale.One just has a clicker button and the other is a Walt Good TTPW.It has a control box with a stick.No ant or receiver. I have not taken it apart to see if there is anything written in it.The cord to the control box is cut.The old guy at the sale said there was other parts he would look for. He did not no who built them. I would certenley sell them.
Most of old Denver flying friends are gone.I am sure you remember Webb Higgins,he was in a bad car wreck and died from effects.
I will put my E-mail in here I do not think two many people will see it which is [email protected].
Later Bill Carpenter(AMA 2500). Grumpy old man on RC Universe

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Zel- Thanks for taking the time to respond. I was stationed at Rome,NY while in the USAF in 1956,57,58. We saw both Walt Good and Hal Debolt fly at that meet. I went home and immediately built a TTPW system but never flew it, I kept wearing out the Might Midget Motors on the bench testing.

I am very active flying models today, everything from ¼ scale Cub to turbine powered jet. I am scratch building the F-94C which I flew in the USAF at Rome. You can see my project on my web site: http://www.sidgates.us I bought a Futaba 9Z radio in 1995 and a Weatronics 2.4GIG Tx module and 12Ch Micro receiver in 2009. I still use both radios. Two years ago I wanted to compete in a speed contest at a local field and since my Quicky 500 still had a Royal Radio (27yrs old) in it, I put it on charge and it checked out OK. It now holds the unofficial speed record at Cherry Creek (Denver R/C Eagles field) of 142mph.

Sid Gates

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Bill – I ran into someone who knows you a few months ago and said you had some health problems, but didn’t know it was this serious. I am glad to hear you are back flying again. I think I still have a few of a the proto cases I built for your first ignition system.

I bought a Futaba 9Z in about 1995 when I started to fly ducted fan jets and needed more channels. Two years ago I bought a Weatronic Tx module and the 12CH Micro receiver and use it in a Futaba 9C transmitter. For airplanes I am flying everything from a 1/4Scale Cub to turbine powered jet. You can see some of my model activity on my web site: http://www.sidgates.us

I sold my Road Runner with Quadra I got from you many years ago and have wished many times I had kept it. I am the oldest one still flying in the Denver R/C Eagles and probably in Mile Hi and Jefco that I think you would know. A few years ago you said you never go to Denver any more but if you do be sure and look me up
Sid

jaymen

Mr Space Control and his Mark III as flown in the video:

Sid, back in the early 1980s, a friend of mine and I drove out to Aurora to visit his father, and go sking at Aspen, Vail, Copper Mountain, and A-Basin. While we were there we went to a large hobby shop in Denver and bought an MRC ARF Cessna with OS Max .10 and Futaba radio. We put it all together and headed south west to the Eagles field, which was fairly new at that time, you could see Golden from there, and we had a wonderful time flying, weather was nice and clear, but crisp. The Eagles field was one of the nicest I had seen at that time and I still tell people here about it.

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Jaymen - If you were Southwest of Denver you were flying at the Jefco Aeromod'lers field. I don't remember where the field was for sure in the 80's. Jefco club has been at Chatfield Park for many years. It is one of the nicest fields in the Denver area. A north/south and East/West runway over 600ft long.

It is open to the public since it is a state park.

I have a brother living in San Juan and my sister in Dana Point. Where do you fly in that area?

Sid

jaymen

Hello Sid,
We still fly at Camp Pendleton,we lost mile square years ago to yet another golf course, like we really need another one!
Then close to where I am in Mission Viejo, there is the Trabuco Flyers who have the old field in what's left of "Escape Country" in the Trabuco Creek wash in Trabuco Canyon, it's a small but nice paved runway. Another group has secured a field over near Irvine Lake off of Santiago Canyon road, these two groups are what is left of the Skynauts and Orange Coast R/C club. An electric only group flies at the old El Toro Marine Airbase, but those days are numbered as they are going to put in homes. The Blimp hangers that once housed the Shennandoah, Macon, and Acron Dirigibles are still being used by the Black Sheep for indoor flying, they rent it once a month, costs about $20.00 a head, limited to around 50 people. The do electrics, hand launch, CO2, and indoor rubber. We lost the headlands of Dana Point where I flew Hobie Hawks a couple years ago, development, so Torrey Pines is about it for Ocean Cliff soaring, althouigh you can still try hand launching off the beach and working up the cliff. For free flight, we go out past Riverside near March Airforce base, and fly. They fly jets at Pendleton, and Apollo 11 field, which is the old Sepulveda basin field, now part of Woodley Park.

Big John died last year, Eloy, myself, and Jim Burlile helped Gretta clean out his shop as she had to move, Jim says hi.

You might be interested to know Mike Dorffler sold me his remaining stock of unbuilt Ace pulse recievers he reproduced, I had no idea he was ill and was saddened when he passed so quickly.

I still talk with Bob Novak, his local business is doing great, he's outlasted us all! Mike Pezak supplies my company with special rubber and plastic parts, he is in Santa Ana.

Of course, I see Zel often, he's a great guy. We fly at his club near Prado Dam, Norco, its the PVMA club field and it's nice, but gets crowded on weekends, but hey, thats good, right? .

Jay Mendoza

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Jay,
I appreciate the update on model flying sites in your area. Years ago I visited Mile Square and Sepulveda while in CA for the model show.

I am saddened to hear about Big John. Mike Dorffler bought all the old Royal parts stock I had left but I didn't know he ever built anything with the parts. Say hello to Eloy, Jim, Bob, Mike & Doty, I used see all of them every year during the model show. I miss those visits.

Sid Gates

rcrmel

Hello Zel. Remember the Detroit Invitational?? I come to Prado sometimes for events. I live out in Beaumont. It was nice to hear from you on the internet Mel Santmyers

Zel

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Mel,

Yes I remember the Detroit! I went by Hal DeBolts place in Buffalo on the way to Detroit. There was about 6 to 8 feet of snow in detroit and I was not sure that we would be able to make it to Detroit. I did enjoy seeing Hal's place. It was especially interesting to me since I had flown one of his Rudder Only Trainers. Obviously manufaturing kits has came a long way too! Thanks for reminding me.

ggeezer

Hi Mel & Zel,
Please excuse my ignorance, but what was the Detroit Invitational and when was it held? It couldn't have been a model airplane contest since there was 6 to 8 feet of snow.

Orv.