Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 17,18,19,20,21,22,24
Fun, Fellowship,
Hospital ity
September 2006 17
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
and
Elie Houayes (L) asked Jason Shulman, “Hey, do you
want to fly my airplane?” How could he resist such an
invitation? Buddy John Kohler stands by.
Vince Blaszczyk has a unique affection
for big airplanes. He built this 1/2-scale,
92-pound Tri-Pacer from scratch.
Power is an Aero 200 engine.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in this hobby for long before you hear someone
tell stories about and revel in what a great time he or she had at the Joe Nall
Giant Scale Fly-In. After all, 2006 was the 24th year for this annual
gathering—a fact that, if nothing else, says something positive about the event.
I’d like this article to convince you to visit the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, South Carolina, for the fly-in’s Silver anniversary next year, or any
event held at that site at any time. It’s sure to be a humdinger, and then you’ll
be able to share in the long evenings with those tall-tale tellers about the great
time had at the Nall.
You might ask yourself, With an introduction to an article such as the one
in the preceding paragraphs, what makes the Joe Nall event so special? That’s
easy; it’s without a doubt the people.
The fine people in the upstate region of South Carolina are something
special, all right. Ask any of their thousands of friends from around the world,
who aren’t much different in character (after all, great minds and the like have
a tendency to hang out in groups), and that person will talk about that great
guy who did this, the fellow who helped with that, the cute couple from here,
and the family of four from there—positive comments galore.
Airplanes are their favorite toys, but they all “get” that the real joy of the
hobby is friends and fellowship.
The Joe Nall fly-in started Wednesday, May 17, but people started arriving
almost a week before. It seems that the idea is to make a real vacation out of
the four-day event by staying a whole week or more.
The Triple Tree Aerodrome is a heck of a place to rough it, whether you’re
a tin or canvas camper. It’s not the Ritz or anything, since there are no
hookups, but the price is right and the landscape is picturesque.
Many visitors comment that the site is a slice of heaven custom tailored
for the RC enthusiast—and I have to agree. Including the swinging bench
seats under the warehouse-sized gazebo, the white picket fence, all the way
Traditions at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In are dear
to new and old friends from around the world
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:43 PM Page 1718 MODEL AVIATION
David Reynolds demonstrates how easy it is to send out plumes of billowing smoke
using the Don Harris smoke system on his DA-150-powered 40% Carden CAP 232.
Mac Hodges cruises the Triple Tree Aerodrome skies with his 10-foot-wingspan Bud
Nosen Cessna 310. It is powered with twin Roto 25cc engines.
Dan Stevens built this 20-foot-span B-29 from enlarged Bob Campbell plans. It has four ZDZ-80 engines turning custom-made 24 x
8 four-blade propellers. Mac Hodges pilots the 98-pound model through an outside loop from the top.
No expense was spared in the interest of
safety. An audio alarm system at each of
seven flight stations was to alert everyone
of any hazard.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:14 PM Page 18September 2006 19
Elie Houayes spent the week showing off his extensive skill as a 3-D pilot, flying his Composite-ARF Yak-55.
Dane Edwards performed countless high-speed passes
with his 3W inline twin-cylinder-powered Mustang.
Ray Labonte’s Lightning is one of the first three prototypes Composite-
ARF brought into the US. He was impressed by how smoothly the JetCat
turbine-powered model handled.
Buddy Hale built this 41% Pitts Model 12 from Bob Trueworthy plans.
Finished in MonoKote, it’s powered with a DA-150 and has numerous
detailed accessories.
Photos by the author
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:50 PM Page 1920 MODEL AVIATION
Kenneth Fairchild
mimics the activity
on the flightline
while mother Amy
and father Ransom
relax. Joe Nall is all
about friends and
family coming
together.
Model Aviation
Hall of Fame
member Robert
Underwood built
this Sachs 3.2-
powered P-26
Peashooter from
Dapino plans.
Light Flight
landing gear was
specially made for
the 85-inch-span
model.
Dick Phelps’ 1/4-scale Curtiss Robin was
specially built to run the hand-built 5.7 cu. in.
Forest Edwards five-cylinder radial owned by
Dan Stevens’ Pat Hartness. 1/7-scale Bell X-1 is
powered with an Aerotech G64
rocket motor. He built and flies
the model with Mac Hodges
during their B-29 demonstration.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:25 PM Page 20September 2006 21
L: Bob Johnson holds on
tightly to Mark
Davidson’s giant all-balsa
Playboy powered by a G-
62 engine. SKS Video
should have the in-flight
footage.
Above: Ralph Braun’s
SW-21 glider is from an
Airworld USA kit. The
JetCat turbine does a fine
job of powering the 23-
foot model piloted by
Tim Rodelman.
White picket fences guard the spectators enough so that everyone can admire the large number of models that flood the ready lines.
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:55 PM Page 2122 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Nall Award winner Jeff Holsinger
(L) and Aubrey Neighbors, bearer of
the 2006 Bob Smith Award.
Aubrey Neighbors scratch-built this Fleet biplane and finished it with Stits fabric and paint. The model’s realism is enhanced by the
performance of its five-cylinder RCS engine.
Joe Nall Notables
Bob Smith Award: For best
Scale flight and craftsmanship
Winner: Aubrey Neighbors
Joe Nall Award: To the person
who exhibited those traditions
inspired by Joe Nall himself
Winner: Jeff Holsinger
To find out more about
Confederate Air Farce events
held at the Triple Tree
Aerodrome, visit
www.joenall.com. MA
down to the manicured golf-green grass, if
you build it they will come. (From Field of
Dreams, 1989—one of my favorite
movies.)
Come the final day of the gathering,
Saturday, still few people are ready to go
home. It’s an International Miniature
Aircraft Association (IMAA) event, but
the show includes all sizes of model
airplanes.
Vendor row had dozens of attendants,
from the nuts-and-bolts hobby shop to the
manufacturers of today’s top aircraft and
products. It was like an outdoor minimall.
As I mentioned, the event is about the
people. Your forearm will get a welldeserved
workout with all the handshaking
to be done. This was a chance for
me to share with those whom I know and
talk with on the phone and via the Internet
a face-to-face experience—do a little
showing off and kicking back. Having just
moved, I was ecstatic to see friends from
the East Coast where we could experience
a whole new setting.
It’s a fly-in—Giant Scale, that is (in my
best sweet Southern accent). Open flying
takes place from dawn til dusk. But the
pilots are not too proud; even the small
electric-powered models on the new spread
spectrum radio systems were given room to
play. It’s that fun thing again.
Fliers were having a wet and wild time
on the 60-plus-acre pond too. There’s just
something romantic about airplanes on the
water, to me anyway, so I visited that area
often. Thank you, Bob Johnson, for letting
me burn off more than my worth in gas with
your great-flying Sig Rascal 120.
After 24 years in the fly-in “business,” the
Confederate Air Farce knows a thing or two
about running an event safely. After all, the
average pilot attendance at this show for the
past decade or so has been 500 or more.
Add heavy-weight airplanes, seven
flightlines, and gorgeous weather, and you
can imagine that things get mighty busy.
I had a nice chat with Mark Hale about
what makes the Joe Nall such a well run
and, more important, safe event. It has
gotten “high tech” in some ways by having
a Spectrum Analyzer there. But one of the
ideas was to organize the radio impound
and frequency control in a new way I
thought was extremely clever.
The flightlines get busy; even with seven
pilot stations, the line for each is typically
five aircraft deep. So if you’re a pilot at this
event, what’s the deal? When you’re ready
to fly, just pull your model—all gassed and
ready to go—up to one of the pilot stations.
Of course there is the typical radioimpound
station shaded under a big-top tent,
way back behind the picket fence. (That walk
09sig1.QXD 7/25/06 12:59 PM Page 22gives you a chance to go through your
checklist.) You’ll get your radio over there,
but you won’t find the frequency board
nearby as usual.
Frequency pins are kept at the flightline,
and you can get the pin only if you’re on deck
to fly. Seven pilot stations with seven pilots
on deck means only 14 pins are out at any one
time. It’s a checks-and-balances system that
was developed to remind pilots to doublecheck
everything.
As popular as the new synthesized systems
have become, it’s easy to think you’re on one
frequency while you’re actually on another.
Separating the transmitters from the frequency
pins significantly reduced this occurrence.
It sounds as though safety is taken too
seriously, but buck up and deal with it, boys
and girls, because people are priority number
one at Triple Tree. I applaud those who went
to great lengths to protect my friends and me.
In the end, after the thousands of flights
logged during the four-day event, the crash
count was freakishly low. A few dumb
thumbs at safe distances from the flightline
were all I could remember. I was impressed.
The noontime demonstrations were among
the best I’ve seen. There was great flying all
day, along with some real surprises, but to sit
down and watch the masters flash their talent
is the icing on the cake. Big-name events such
as the Joe Nall have the weight to pull in some
of the best pilots in the hobby. If you’re a
spectator, you’re guaranteed a show.
Get a taste of the event by enjoying the
photography, but as with any event you have
to be there to appreciate the full flavor. The
Joe Nall is a gathering I had wanted to
experience for a long time. The wait was more
than worth it, leaving me with a bit of remorse
for not taking the time to visit sooner. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]