My journey began with a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, stage 4. After undergoing treatment, I found myself unable to work. My son-in-law was determined to get a Tower Hobbies trainer to fly, and since I’ve always had a passion for airplanes, I spent a considerable amount of time with him, trying to figure out the intricacies of it all. The following Christmas, I received a wonderful gift—a Great Planes slowpoke sport 40.
So, it all started. After constructing the slowpoke, I discovered that there was an AMA club in my hometown. I joined both the club and the AMA, and I had the pleasure of working with an exceptional trainer. He was an Air Force retiree who had actually grown up in the same neighborhood as I did, but he left for the Air Force about a year after my birth. Remarkably, he’s still around at the remarkable age of 91. This remarkable story unfolded 25 years ago, and I’m still the secretary of the club and actively involved in model building. My latest creation is a reproduction of the Top Flight gold edition P-47, featuring a 20cc Ephil electric start gas motor, which is an absolute delight.
In addition to my involvement in model building, I’m also a member of Northwest Scale Areo Modelers (NWSAM) and serve as an area coordinator for the group. I actively participate in their scale events as well.
Over the years, I’ve built most of the Top Flight kits, but I also have a substantial collection of “foamies.” The latest addition to my collection is the Legend Hobbies B-25 Mitchell. It’s an absolute blast to drop bombs and parachutes from its functional bomb bay. Initially, I spent the first 10 years of my hobby with sport planes using glow engines, but I’ve since transitioned to scale planes with gasoline and electric motors.
Last year, the club (Sanderson Field RC Flyers) hosted the AMA Jamboree, and this year, we proudly hosted an NWSAM scale qualifier. Our club also actively participates in Oysterfest to raise funds for the scholarship we provide annually.
I have been inducted into two categories of Hall of Fame model activities, the AMA and the Scale Modeler by NASA.
Since my initial cancer diagnosis, I’ve unfortunately faced two more challenges—a renal carcinoma and small cell lung cancer. Thankfully, I’ve managed to overcome all of these obstacles. While my abilities may not be as extensive as I’d like, I’m determined to persevere and continue my passion for model building.
Bob Beatty
Secretary AMA club 3079
Sanderson Field RC flyers
