Written & Submitted by HC (03/1997); Transcribed by NR (12/1999); Edited by SS (2002), Updated by JS (12/2006), Reformatted by JS (09/2009)
Career
- Late 1930s: Ran a model shop in Tacoma, Washington
- 1954/1955: Designed and developed the Nomad. Founder of the Tacoma Gas Wings
- A leader in building and flying activities
- Kitted a rubber cabin model called the Cruiser
- His Maxi-Fli and EZ Riser have won firsts at the Astro Electric Championships
- Built a wind tunnel model of his CH 10-48-13 airfoil and the results are published in “Summary of Low-Speed Airfoil Data” Vol. I by Michael Selig
- 1958-present: Competitor, placing first in many competitions
- Designed the Aeronca C-3, published in Air Trails
Chuck Hollinger is one of the best all around model builders I have ever known. Back in the late 1930s, he ran a model shop in Tacoma, Washington and was the founder of the Tacoma Gas Wings, which was changed to the Tacoma Air Screws as the club became active in all phases of free flight, indoor and outdoor gliders and rubber models as well as gas. Chuck was a leader in the building and flying activities, always helping others develop into better flyers. On weekends, five of us would pile into his Model A Ford with as many planes as we could cram in and drive out to Harts Lake Prairie for test flying. We also went to contests in Seattle and Yakima, and the ultimate trips to the Nationals (Nats) in Chicago in 1940 and 1941. Chuck was constantly designing new and better airplanes. He kitted a rubber cabin model called the Cruiser, which was recently built by some modelers in Iowa. He built a beautiful, pod and boom, C-gas model called the Nomad, which he flew at the Nats and plans were published in Air Trails in the early 1940s. The design is currently being flown in Radio Control electric. Chuck was one of the first to recognize the importance of a high rubber-to-weight ratio. At the 1941 Nats, he flew a cabin model with a thick pylon for cross-section and a stick like fuselage, which placed fifth. The model was so light in weight that it could not be held in the then traditional way of one hand on the nose and the other at the rear peg. Chuck invented the technique of using aluminum tubing for the rear motor anchor so that the model could be held from the rear with 1/8" wire through the tubing. (See Model Airplane News, Oct. 1941).
Around the Northwest, he was active in many contests and won his share of first places in such diverse events as indoor hand launch glider, indoor stick, outdoor cabin/stick, and C Gas. World War II intervened with Chuck in the Coast Guard on a Liberty ship. I have a picture of him in uniform flying a pencil bomber C Gas job so I know he was still flying whenever he got ashore.
After the War, Chuck and I ran a model shop in Seattle, Washington for a few years and flew both U-control and Free Flight. Most weekends he spent helping beginners start their engines and adjust their models. He also built a string of models ranging from speed to stunt to scale. I always felt that his models were too perfect to take a chance on flying. He cut all of the parts so exactly that very little sanding was needed. At the 1946 and 1947 Nats, he was a strong competitor with a second in indoor hand launch, a fifth in outdoor stick, a sixth in C gas and a fourth in C gas row which shows the breadth of his flying. In 1951, when I moved to California, he was building and drawing plans of scale models for magazines, which I understand will be covered by others.
Most of what I know from there is through correspondence through the years. I have been amazed by his long line of electrics in which he has experimented with tandems, flying wings, canards and, most recently, electric cargo. His Maxi-Fli and EZ Riser have won firsts at the Astro Electric Champs and at the Silent Electric Flyers of San Diego contests. These models are not just built, but are carefully thought out. He is constantly searching for information on airfoils and wing designs and usually comes up with practical solutions.
He built a wind tunnel model of his CH 10-48-13 airfoil and the results are published in Summary of Low-Speed Airfoil Data Vol. I, written by Michael Selig, et al. He designed an airfoil for a flying wing hang glider (while not a model the technique here is important), which he built and flew in (as a grandpa!). In order to find out if the pitching moment was positive, he built a model of the airfoil, ballasted it so it would not float, and gave it a little push under water in the bathtub to make sure it was stable!
Henry Cole AMA 2007 Los Altos, CA 94022
Charles “Chuck” Hollinger, Addendum No. 1
First Place, 1996 San Diego, CA - All Up Last Down Event Third Place, 1988, St. Louis, MO - National F3E First Place, 1985, Carl Goldberg Memorial Trophy
First Place, 1992 and 1993, Fountain Valley, CA - Astro Champs Electric Cargo First Place, 1986, Harbor Soaring Society, Costa Mesa, CA - Sail Plane First Place, 1985 and 1986, Old-Timer
First Place, 1958, First Nationals RC Scale Event (see Dave Thomburg's book, “Do You Speak Model Airplane?” page 240) Addendum No. 2
1954/1955: Designed and developed the Nomad as mentioned in Dave Thomburg's book, “Do You Speak Model Airplane?” page 8 1 and also page 239 Designed the Aeronca C-3, published in Air Trails
Addendum No. 3
Designed two airfoils for hi-lift electric cargo type airplane. Both tested by Dr. Michael Selig in the wind tunnel at University of Illinois.
Designed fix wing hang glider in the 1970s and, with original airfoil, set record of one hour at San Bernardino, California.
General Information
Mr. Hollinger is a member of the Harbor Soaring Society, Costa Mesa, CA. Although he goes to the field four to five times each week, he invariably spends at least one half of his time helping other flyers debug their planes and shares his 65 years of flying experience with his fellow members. However, he still has time to build very unique planes including pushers, canards, and tailless planes. “Chuck.” as his friends call him, was a very early convert to electric power models and this is evident by his numerous first place awards in the electric power events listed. We think one of his most prodigious accomplishments was the design of two original airfoils for the cargo or hi-lift airplanes. These airfoil sections were tested by Dr. Michael Selig in the wind tunnel at the University of Illinois. The results showed significant improvement over the classic hi-lift foil of the Wortmann FX-63, which is commonly used in the S.A.E. cargo events.
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