Celebrate 100 years of aviation and automobile history at Wings & Wheels Festival
Can a "Flivver" fly? Can a "Camel" fly? Come find out at the "Wings & Wheels Festival of Flight Air and Car Show" Saturday, Sept. 8.
The Fox Valley Aero Club is celebrating 100 years of automotive and aviation history. You will see many examples of both antique cars and radio controlled model airplanes.
Enjoy seeing 100 years of radio-controlled model aviation history, as well as 100-year-old historic Model-T cars.
Dale Gathman, the Aero Club president, said, "This is a real opportunity for families to visit and view 100 years of aviation and automotive history all in one place on one day. We will have over 20 Model T-era cars, as well as over 100 RC model airplanes."
Joseph Rush from the Model T Club adds, "The Midwest Chapter of the Model T Ford Club International is a group of about 100 families in the Chicago metropolitan area interested in preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of antique vehicles, particularly the Model T Ford. We also like to promote interest in, and share history about, the Model T Ford to others."
The audience will have an opportunity to see the cars up close and learn more about these historic cars and interesting hobby.
Tom Flint, one of the "Wings & Wheels" event organizers, said, "I feel this event meets two goals by joining the radio control airplane club and the Model T Club for this event.
"First, the purpose of both clubs is to preserve and educate the public about the history of its respective hobby. It is only natural to showcase airplanes and automobiles together, as we have witnessed their advancement in the past 100 years.
"Second, around 1918, significant events took place for both the airplane and the automobile. It is important to continue to educate our community and youth about this exciting history."
The Model T Ford changed the way Americans lived and worked. The Model T quickly became prized for its low cost, durability, versatility, and ease of maintenance. Assembly-line production allowed the price of the car to be less than $300 in 1918.
Between 1913 and 1927, Ford factories produced more than 15 million Model Ts. The Model T was offered in several body styles, including a five-seat touring car, a two-seat runabout, and a seven-seat town car.
All bodies were mounted on a uniform, 100-inch-wheelbase chassis. A choice of colors was originally available, but from 1913 to 1925 the car was mass-produced in only one color - black. The engine generated 20 horsepower and propelled the car to modest top speeds of 40 to 45 miles per hour.
There will be more than 20 samples of these Model T-era automobiles at the "Wings & Wheels" car and air show.
In 1918, World War I was taking place and airplanes, such as the Sopwith Camel and the Nieuport 28, were filling the skies over Europe. In 1918, the Red Baron, in his Fokker Dr. 1 triplane, was shot down by a Sopwith Camel. You will find some of these World War I planes and more than 100 more modern RC model airplanes at the "Wings & Wheels" event.
John Fischer, also an event sponsor from the Fox Valley Aero Club, said, "The purpose of this event is to allow our members and surrounding area club members to showcase any type of RC Model airplane they wish to fly for the air show.
"Most of the day there will be six airplanes in the sky at one time. You will see some of our newer members fly some smaller RC airplanes made from foam and some non-scale larger RC airplanes demonstrate spectacular stunts," Fischer said.
"We also have members who enjoy flying jet powered airplanes that can travel over 150 mph, have a scale jet engine for propulsion, and use real jet fuel. This event makes a great air show for our community because of the wide variety of airplanes that fill the sky all day long. You will literally see 100 years of aviation represented by our RC model airplanes."
From Foamies to Fighters, from 3-D stunt planes to 3-D aerobatic helicopters, you will view the finest local RC pilots demonstrating their amazing flight skills. The noon time air show will start with a 1918 era Model T Ford and a World War I era RC Biplane from 1918 and progress through aviation and RC history.
See a "Carousel of Cubs," a gaggle of World War I biplanes and squadrons of World War II scale planes.
They will have noon time demonstrations set to music of some of the most extreme 3-D planes and 3-D helicopters you can imagine. The planes hang in the air inches from the ground; the helicopters almost mow the grass while inverted. The show will end with large-scale RC jets like the A10 Warthog.
After the noon air show, there will be a candy drop for the kids with extra candy for toddlers. The candy drop features a giant scale RC plane that will drop candy from the sky over the enclosed airfield.
The Fox Valley Aero Club is at 3821 Karl Madsen Drive, St. Charles. From the corner of Randall and 38, go west on Route 38, drive one block west of Peck Road to Karl Madsen Drive on the left. Turn left and follow the signs to the flight field.
Admission is $5 per person; free for kids younger than 12. A food vendor will be on-site. Some grandstand seating is available, but you are always welcome to bring lawn chairs. Visit foxvalleyaero.com.