Meet a long-time scale model flier and friend of Tommy Meyer. Posted are a number of models he has built or flown over the years, along with a short auto-biography.
Hello. I'm Olen Trenary, a long-time friend of Tommy and JoAn Meyer. I started building rubber band powered models in the early 1940's. In 1946 I got my first gas powered model and have been building models ever since.
In the 1960's I was buying dope (for painters, not what people smoke) from the local airport shop because he would sell me a quart for a dollar and a small bottle at the hobby shop cost sixty cents. In 1966, the shop owner asked me if I wanted to come and work for him as a apprentice mechanic. That is what I wanted to do but with a wife and two small kids I couldn't afford to go to school for a license. So I jumped on this opportunity, got my A&P license and spent the next 38 years doing aircraft maintenance. All the while I continued to build model aircraft and compete in scale contests. My experience with full scale aircraft is what drives my love of models that look like planes.
In the last few years I no longer can fly well enough for competition so have been competing in team scale, flying with Alan Moulton. In 2011, we finished third in the Scale Masters finals in team scale. Alan earned the trophy for high flight score in team scale (98 out of a possible 100) while I earned the trophy for best scratch built plane with my Super Cub PA 18. That qualified us for the 2012 championships. It will be in Indiana just outside Louisville, Kentucky, which is a little too far for me to travel, so we will miss it this year.
We went to the qualifier in our area this year and took second place. I won a G.P. Real Flight 6 for second place. Then, in a drawing I won a electric Focke-Wulf 190 with radio ready to fly.
Have a look around at the pictures I've provided and read the article on a tournament where I competed in 1988.
The Byron Pitts, Red Devil
Picture from 1988 Scale RC Modeler Magazine Story
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