Planes of the Toledo Weak Signals Show
2014
Top modelers from all over the United States and Canada brought their best models to the famed static competition at the 60th annual Toledo show.
By FM Staff With photographs by Greg Cardillo F 18
or those modelers who aspire to dis- play their craftsmanship in front of the entire industry, the annual Weak Signals show in Toledo has been the stage of choice for decades. This is the largest and longest running radio control expo in the country and everyone brings their A game to Toledo. Most of the models on stat- ic display at this show have just had the last details defined and the final coat of wax rubbed out, with the maiden flight always scheduled for some point after this weekend. You never know what you will see at the Toledo show, but you can rest assured that even during slow years there will always be a few stand-out models that make it worth the visit. Such was the case this year with George Maiorana’s Douglas C-133A Cargo- master. Immaculately crafted from foam and fiberglass and with exacting attention to de- tail, this 4-year project was awarded overall Best in Show as the weekend drew to a close.
There were several other models that gathered large crowds and admiring com- ments over the weekend. The jet crowd had plenty to admire, from the immaculate paint on Roy Maynard’s BAe Hawk and Blair Howkins’ XXL Viperjet, to the bare metal of Paul Sousa’s F-84G Thunderjet sporting its Thunderbirds livery.
Those longing for yesteryear had plenty of silk and dope to admire in the Vintage and Old Timer pens, as well as another true standout in the Sport category, Chuck Grat- ner’s Riley Model B. The latest in an evolv- ing series, the Riley Model B is an ersatz runabout, inspired by aviation’s Golden Age. It is not, as many suspected, a scale replica of an actual airplane from the era, but it sure looks like it could have been. No matter where your modeling prefer- ences lie, you are sure to find something at the Toledo show that catches your attention. In addition to the static display tables, near-
ly 200 vendors attended this year to vie for your hobby dollars. They filled the show floor with the latest and greatest the RC world has to offer. Including everything from micro indoor to giant scale, there were new plans, kits, ARFs, and RTF models of all persuasions.
If you were looking for something a bit more “seasoned,” the swap meet was thriving up- stairs. Vintage collectible kits, rare engines, pre-built models being sold to make room in the workshop and more greeted the many looking for that hidden gem to show off to their friends back home. A little haggling is always part of the game and adds to the fun. One final point for those who missed Tole- do this year. We would like to offer a special thanks to Greg Cardillo for providing the great images you see here. Make sure you keep your calendar clear April 10–12 for Toledo 2015, the 61st edition of this early spring classic.
JUNE 2014
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68