Thousands of Canberrans - and many from beyond - were finalising their best designs for paper airplanes on this day in 1986. A Nissan Pintara sedan was the tempting first prize on offer at The Canberra Times' third national newspaper aeroplane championships at the Bruce indoor stadium.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The goal was to throw a plane - made of course of good old newsprint - through the open sunroof of the car. If more than one competitor did it during the open round there would be a flyoff of the finalists.
Entrants were instructed their designs must the "aerodynamic" rather than "ballistic''. One of the top contenders going in was Scullin man Vic Spannari, a finalist the previous two years.
He was keeping his design close to his chest except to say "it's very basic, and very accurate''. He said there was no secret to his success.
"I'm too busy to practice, I just go out there once a year and give it a shot. Paper plane flying is just a talent I've had since I was a boy," he said.
Presumably with tongue in cheek, he talked confidently ahead of the contest.
"When I win today, I'm going to patent the I design and make my fortune. I'll open up a paper plane shop and retire a wealthy man."
Alas for Vic, it was a 17-year-old Doug Anderson of Flynn who won the car, ahead of David Kelly of O'Connor, who picked up a trip to Hawaii for second place.
