Wakefield International Cup - A history from 1911 by Charles Dennis Rushing

The 1997 Wakefield Cup contest, held in Sazena, Czech Republic, was won by Alex Andrjukov of the Ukraine, who has now become the first person to win the Wakefield Cup three times. This was no easy accomplishment for Alex, who made his first appearance in 1985 on the CCCP Team, when Rainer Hoffsass won the Wakefield Cup. A look back in history finds Alex on Team CCCP in 1987, when Bob White won the Cup. Alex did not finish in the top 10 at those contests, but in 1989, when Eugemusz Cofalik of Poland won the Cup, he had to battle Alex into the thirrd round of the fly-offs to win. Alex was second, 80 seconds behind Eugen. Alex has never been out of the world class competition for the Wakefield Cup since 1989. Alex was the European Wakefield Champion, two times. It is, after all Alex's Wakefield "AA-26" that has become the world's standard, in design, construction, and flight characteristics. This very Wakefield, "AA-26" was purchased after the 1993 World Championships Wakefield Cup contest by Jeremy Fitch. "AA-26" was used in Wakefield contests by Jerry, who qualified for Team USA flying this model. Jerry also used it as a test bed for the development of his own Wakefield design, with which he won the Wakefield Cup in 1995. This same Wakefield "AA-26" now resides in the ownership of Bill Saunders, of Silver Springs, MD, where it is being flown in local Wakefield contests. This is a very rare, and important Wakefield. I can only presume Mr Sanders knows this. I do not mean important in monetary value; "AA-26" is important intrinsically. Which brings me to the main topic of this foreword: the Wakefield International Cup Museum.

I have come to the place on the road in my studies of the Wakefield International Cup where I am convinced that there is intrinsic value in all of the artifacts that remain from past Wakefield Cup contests. My contact with past winners of the Wakefield Cup led me to think seriously about establishing a "Wakefield International Cup Museum", because so many past Wakefield Champions still have their winning Wakefields. For instance: Aarne Ellila's Winning 1949 Wakefield now resides in the Finnish National Museum. Aarne built this very Wakefield in 1939. A friend in Sweden gave me a photograph of Aarne at 16 years of age, holding this same model. The Finns do not have to tell the world that this is an important artifact. They hold it in the highest esteem in their own National Museum! Sune Stark has written to me that he still has his 1951 Wakefield Winner. Bob White still has "Twin Fins 22", which won the Wakefield Cup in 1987. Bob has already promised "Twin Fins 22" to the future "Wakefield International Cup Museum". It is my hope that Bob White has set the standard for contributions to the "International Wakefield Cup Museum". Ownership of such artifacts would remain with the contributor, who would be merely loaning the item to the trustees of the "Wakefield International Cup Museum

What artifacts would be accepted for display in the "Wakefield International Cup Museum" (WICM)?

Wakefield Models: The actual winning Wakefield, or a full-sized authentic replica of the winning Wakefield. I have begun to construct replicas of some of the early winners. We must have models that are made using the actual materials, and colors, with the authentic details of all of the components. For instance, if bamboo was used to shape the wing tips of the original model, the replica must also have bamboo tips.

Clothing and personal articles: The actual clothing worn by the Wakefield Champion, at the time that they won the Wakefield Cup. Shoes, shirts, pants, jackets, caps, glasses, rings, pins, patches, decals, stick-ons, diaries, note books, etc.

Photographs: Still Photographs, motion pictures, or video tapes of the actual Wakefield Cup contest, showing the Wakefield Champion (s) flying their Winning Wakefield, contest officials. Originals, or copies. We could also use current photos of any Wakefield Champion, SMAE, FAI, CIAM official, timer, or contest director.

Support equipment: Rubber winders, winding stands, rubber transfer rods, rubber transfer hooks, rubber stuffing sticks, hammers, thermisters, thermister stands, thermister poles, etc.

Written material: Letters written by any of the Wakefield Champions, Lord Wakefield of Hythe, or any SMAE official which discusses a significant Wakefield subject. Letters written by Robert Copland, F de P Green, A F Houlberg, Dr A P Thurston (Where are the original rules?). Letters from any FAI/CIAM official discussing the Wakefield Cup contest, or Wakefield Cup rules. Newsletters prepared for an actual Wakefield Cup contest. Flyers, posters, banners, or any announcement. Magazines about the Wakefield contest, Wakefield models, accessories, etc. These must be in the best possible condition.

Trophies: The original "Wakefield Gold Cup of 1911". This rare Wakefield trophy was last won in 1913 by Sir L H Slatter, Air Marshall RAF, could it still be in the possession of his heirs, or family, or a friend of his family? Can a search be made for this valuable artifact? Also there were miniature Wakefield Cup trophies awarded to the Wakefield Champions, any of these would make handsome displays. I know that Emmanuel Fillon, of France, still has his.

If any article is too valuable to be released by the present owner, photographs are acceptable. What is needed are displays, that will attract public interest. Many of the displays will be static, but video films should also be made of each of the winning Wakefield replicas, in flight if possible, to enhance visual interest for the museum viewer.

The location of the "Wakefield International Cup Museum" should be somewhere in England, because this is where the original idea to have this free flight international contest began. Lord Wakefield was the heir to the "Castrol Oil" corporation. The value of his inspiration is still present in the contest that bears his name. The sponsorship of the "Wakefield International Cup Museum" should be an asset to the Castrol Oil Corporation today. The actual size of this museum need not require more then a small floor area for display in an already established museum. Two people to whom I have written in England, have suggested different existing museums that would be appropriate for such a permanent display. Ian Amor suggested the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvinton, York, England. Ron Moulton suggests the Science Museum, South Kensington, London, England. Tom McCoy has mentioned the AMA museum in Muncie, Indiana, but they have never shown any interest in this book, even though I sent two copies of it to the museum staff. No! What is needed is an established museum, somewhere in England, which has an enthusiastic curator who is knowledgeable about the Wakefield Cup, and who is willing to go to the Castrol Oil Corporation to seek sponsorship of an endowment for a Wakefield Museum display. If the museum curator can get this, the "Wakefield International Cup Museum" will be a permanent reality. If sponsorship by Castrol Oil Corporation is not obtainable, then we will have to depend upon private donations.

The collection contained in "The International Wakefield Cup Museum" must of course be cataloged, and credit assigned to the individual loans, or donations. This catalog would be a photographic record of the artifacts contained in the museum. This makes the catalog a valuable record book of the Wakefield Champions, their models, and their clothing and accessories. The museum catalog would itself be valuable enough to warrant sale of the catalog for museum income. Another source of income for the museum could come from the sale of C Ds, videos, and posters of the Wakefield Champions, and/or the winning Wakefield models. T-shirts, and caps would also be a good source of income. The T-shirt design can come from the collection, and from special T-shirts made for the Wakefield contest at the World Championships. I will offer my book as a sales item to the museum. The point here is to plan how the "Wakefield International Cup Museum" will operate, as an independent endowment, using a gift shop, and a collections-sales catalog as a source of income. Another supplement for income would be the sales of the construction drawings of each of the Wakefield winning models. These drawings would be part of the museum collection. The drafting of these drawings would be authenticated, and signed by the living Wakefield Champions. I will also volunteer to help to make the original inked mylar drawings; there will be 43 inked mylar drawings. All of the effort for the museum will have to be voluntary, except for the job of the curator, who must be a professional. Of course the museum curator will be a member of an existing museum.

Part of the museums operations will be to install a "Wakefield Hall of Fame" into the display. The indoctrination will of course include all of the past Wakefield Champions. To open the "Wakefield Hall of Fame" there would be a list of names submitted to the museum Board of Directors for indoctrination. All of the living Wakefield Champions would be invited to participate in the first indoctrination, led by Gordon S Light. The first person indoctrinated would be of course Viscount Lord Wakefield of Hythe. His name would be the first of the indoctrinates, followed by F de P Green, Sir Sefton Branker, A F Houlberg, and Dr A P Thurston, of the SMAE, and then all of the Wakefield Champions, beginning with E W Twining in 1911.

The "Wakefield International Cup Museum" is not a dream. It is alive in all of us who love the Wakefield International Cup contest. What the museum can be is a continuing living display of what free flight aeromodelling is all about, to the world. It is what we as free flight aeromodellers are, what we believe is mentally exhilarating, real, and uplifting. If we can make this museum a reality, then all of our legend will be told.

I wish to thank all of you who have purchased this book, my patrons. I wish also to thank all of you who have contributed to the search for information to expand the knowledge about the "Wakefield International Cup". I do not want to forget anyone who has made a positive contribution to the content of this book, I cannot name you all, forgive me if I have not included you, but I must thank Helen Rushing, Bill Vanderbeek, John Brown, Bill Hannan, Tom McCoy, Sven-Olov Linden, Ian Amor, Ron Moulton, Albert A Judge, Alwyn Greenhaulgh, Mike Kemp, Martyn Pressnell, Denis Fairlie, Michael Woodhouse, Martyn Cowley, Gordon S Light, Emmanuel Fillon, Richard Korda, Aarne Ellila, Sune Stark, Joe Foster, Hugh O'Donnell, Lennart Petersson, George Reich, Thomas Koster, Mikko Sulkala, Lothar Doring, Bob White, Aleksanar Andrjukov, and Jeremy Fitch.

I would be pleased to hear from the following Wakefield Champions: Eliseo Scotto, G Samann, Bond Baker, F Dvorak, J Klima, P C Sun, K D Sik, Reiner Hofsass, and Eugeniusz Cofalik. Old letters or notes would be appreciated from: E W Twining, Sir L H Slatter, T H Hewell, R N Bullock, J H Ehrhardt, J W Kenworthy, J B Allman, Roy Chesterton, Robert Copland, Ted Evans, F de P Green, A F Houlberg, and Dr A P Thurston, or anyone who one day will be a "Wakefield International Cup Hall Of Fame" candidate.

Charles

FOR THE WAKEFIELD MUSEUM: Despite all of the efforts of many friends, I have failed to obtain a reply from the following Wakefield Champions: 1955 G Samann, 1958 B Baker, 1959 F Dvorak, 1963 and 1973 J Loffler, 1969 A Oschatz, 1971 J Klima, 1975 P C Sun, 1977 K D Sik, 1985 R Hofsass, 1989 E Cofalik. Even old letters would be a major input for this history. Copies of old correspondence from the following Wakefield Champions, who I know have long since died, would be a blessing: 1911 E W Twining, 1913 Sir L H Slatter, 1928 T H Newell, 1929 R N Bullock, 1930-3 1 J H Ehrhardt, 1933 J W Kenworthy, 1934 J B Allman, 1948 R Chesterton. Any contribution will be honored: photographs, motion pictures, video tapes, memorablia, models, tools & equipment, banners, clothing, pins, anything of Historical interest, will be classified, and credited to the donor, and retained or returned by the Wakefield Museum curator. C.D.R.