PLUM ISLAND — If you're driving by Plum Island Airport tomorrow morning or afternoon and see a fighter jet going hundreds of miles an hour, don't worry; the island isn't under attack.
If you look a little more carefully, you will notice the jets are actually meticulously crafted replicas assembled with care by members of the Northeast Radio Control Model Club and the New Hampshire RC Aces.
Both clubs are taking part in the fifth annual Plum Island Aerodrome model aircraft fly-in at the airport. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow, model aircraft enthusiasts will take turns flying their labors of love from the airport's runway as hundreds of people watch, said NRCMC president Ken Cook of Amesbury.
In addition to realistic fighter jet replicas, model enthusiasts will be flying model helicopters and giant scale replicas of World War I and II-era planes along with planes that just look cool.
"Some of them are big enough to fool you," Cook said with a chuckle.
The event itself is free, and based on last year's turnout, when more than 300 people made the trip, it should be well attended. Concessions will be sold throughout the day starting with a pancake breakfast followed by hamburgers and hot dogs. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. A portion of the proceeds will go to the aerodrome museum at Plum Island Airport.
Plum Island Airport is a popular place for model aircraft enthusiasts to meet, as its runway doesn't have field lights, which sometimes can make it harder to launch aircraft, Cook said.
Last weekend, hundreds turned out for a similar exposition sponsored by the New England Jets model aircraft club. Those models need a runway to become airborne, just like a conventional plane, Cook said.
Northeast Radio Control Model Club was founded in 1994 and has about 45 members who fly from the Elmwood Street flying field in Salisbury near the Amesbury line. Club members typically meet on weekends and take turns flying their aircraft. They are also welcome to visit the field during the week.
The club also holds meetings the second Wednesday of the month at the Erie Four fire station in Georgetown. Its members hail from all over the region, including Newburyport, Newbury, Byfield, Merrimac, Seabrook, Melrose, Topsfield and Hampton, N.H. The club offers flying instructions at no charge by appointment, and people can join the club for $75 a year.
Model planes can range from the garden variety found in local hobby shops to high-tech models with real engines. The high-end models can cost thousands of dollars for engines alone, Cook said. Many who join model aircraft clubs have flying or military backgrounds. Cook himself was an Air Force mechanic at one point, he said.
The 57-year-old Cook has been building and flying model airplanes since he was roughly 8 years old.
"It's been something that's been in my life for years," Cook said.
Years ago, the kits were more complex and required some basic knowledge of how a plane works.
"It's an engineering feat by itself," Cook said of putting together models back then.
Today, models often come with the motor or electronic already assembled inside the belly of the plane, which takes away some of the mystery and magic of an earlier era. He also said it's harder to keep people interested in model planes as they age, as they tend to move on to other activities, such as "girls and cars."
IF YOU GO
What: Model Aircraft Fly-In sponsored by the Northeast Radio Control Model Club and New Hampshire RC Aces
When: Tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; pancake breakfast begins at 8 a.m.
Where: Plum Island Aerodrome, 24 Plum Island Turnpike, Newbury
How: Free admission; food and refreshments for sale. For more, visit the Northeast Radio Control Model Club website at nrcmc.net.
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