2004 Flying Aces Nationals - 2004/12

December 2004 31
by Dennis Norman
Gordon Roberts winds his 36-inch-span Skyrocket for FAC Old-
Time Rubber while Lundy Goesling holds. Russ Brown photo.
Chris Starleaf (in foreground) and
friends put up colorful Fairchild
24s for the mass-launch event.
Bob Clemens photo.
Del Balunek holds Canadian Kelcy Bell’s rubber-powered Autogiro
as Kelcy prepares for another exciting flight. Brown photo.
“RAIN, RAIN, go away ... ” So begins a childhood ditty that had
renewed meaning for those gathered in Geneseo, New York, July
16-18, 2004, for the 14th biennial celebration of what has become
the world’s greatest FF Scale meet. The Flying Aces Club (FAC)
continues to grow and represents a unique group of individuals who
proudly continue to develop one of the earliest forms of model
aviation.
All US participants are members of the AMA, which sanctions
all FAC contests. The FAC Nationals has been held every two years
since 1978. In the “off years,” the club holds a slightly smaller “non
Nats.” Both events are held in Geneseo.
The weather is usually superb in mid-July, but this year’s
gathering saw rain or “scattered showers” July 16 and 18. However,
spirits were high despite the precipitation. If anything, the weather
provided more time to visit and “hangar fly” with friends who see
each other only at this event.
Actually the fun began July 15, the day before the official start of
flying, when the contestants brought their models for static judging.
This started at 2 p.m. at the Days Inn and continued until after 10
p.m. During this time, people met, vendors displayed their wares in
air-conditioned comfort, and plans unfolded for the contest.
There were hundreds of beautiful models on display and
opportunities to chat with their builders. Orville Olm of
Photos as noted
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32 MODEL AVIATION
Orv Olm’s Bf 109G finished third in WW II Combat. It spans 25 inches, weighs 57 grams
(less rubber), and uses Orv’s GizmoGeezer front end. Clemens photo.
Chris Starleaf entered his 41-inch-span Lockheed Electra in
multiengine Power Scale. It has four motors and was built from
DJ Aerotech’s Roadkill series of ARF RC kits. Clemens photo.
A cockpit close-up of Joe Barrish’s Horton Wing. It won the FAC
Power Scale Multi Engine event. Vic Nippert photo.
2004 FAC Nats Facts
• The contest consisted of 37 events.
• There were 167 competitors.
• A total of 217 Scale models were
judged. (There was a limit of two
models per Scale event per contestant.)
• There were 1,650 official flights made
during the contest (190 more than in
2002).
• There was one special “happening”: a
spiritual send-off for the late Bob
Thompson.
• FAC members with perfect Nats
attendance as of this contest were Vic
Didelot, Ross Mayo, Jack Moses,
Fernando Ramos, Dave Rees, Marie
Rees, Juanita Reichel, Lin Reichel, and
John Stott. MA
—Dennis Norman
Ralph Kuenz (L) led a toast to late FAC co-founder Bob Thompson,
after which FAC co-founder Dave Stott (R) released balloons
carrying Bob’s Heinkel on its last “flight.” Clemens photo.
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Vance Gilbert flew his 31-inch-span 1927 Avia BH-25 in Jumbo
Scale. It is powered by six strands of 3⁄16-inch Tan II rubber,
vintage 2003. Clemens photo.
George Lewis shows off his Waterman Gosling No-Cal model
before another spectacular flight. Fred Wunsche photo.
Paul Boyanowski holds his 24-inch-span Taylorcraft with floats
before flying it in FAC Golden Age Civil Scale. The 26-gram
model is covered with Esaki tissue. Wunsche photo.
Stu Weckerly meticulously judges Jack Kacian’s magnificent
Wright Flyer “A,” which won FAC Pioneer Scale. Nippert photo.
December 2004 33
GizmoGeezer Products walked past me carrying a beautiful scratchbuilt
Bf 109G with an outstanding airbrushed finish. I complimented
him on it, and he stopped, thanked me, and told me that he used to hate
airbrushing because he found it difficult to use frisket paper. He said
that the commercial paper did not adhere well and that it caused fuzzy
separation lines that were difficult to correct.
Orv’s solution was to use Japanese tissue as his masking paper. He
adhered it to his model using a Scotch removable glue stick. This gave
him a mask that followed the contours of the airplane and assured
sharp separation lines. Orv said that he could remove the tissue mask
cleanly, flip it over, and reuse it to paint a symmetrical pattern on the
other side of his model.
Dave Mitchell of the D.C. Maxecuters joined the conversation and
readily attested to the merits of Scotch low-tack glue sticks. As we
chatted, Dave shared how he joined the FAC. He said he had been
building FF Scale models for years. As do many of us, he worked
alone without much contact with other modelers. (I call this the “Lone
Eagle” phase of modeling.)
Then Dave met Hurst Bowers, a former curator of the AMA
museum, who took him to a meeting of the D.C. Maxecuters and
introduced him to master modelers Don Srull and Stew Meyers.
With Hurst, they mentored Dave and brought him, as he put it, “out
of the stone age” and into the excitement and wonder of
contemporary FAC modeling.
One of the younger pilgrims at the FAC Nats was 22-year-old
Kelcy Bell, who came all the way from Alberta, Canada. Like Dave
Mitchell, Kelcy built and flew alone and had no personal contact with
other modelers until he met Chris Parent (Boston MA), Rich Weber
(Cleveland OH), and others on the Internet at www.smallflying
arts.com. Using the Internet, Kelcy was soon receiving tips from some
of the most gifted FAC builders and fliers. This led him into a
continuing period of growth as a modeler.
Although it meant taking a long and expensive flight, Kelcy
traveled to Cleveland, where he stayed with Rich Weber and saw the
US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, before driving to Geneseo.
Rich was unable to make the trip, but his kindness to Kelcy is typical
of the spirit shown by many FAC members. Kelcy’s Geneseo project
was a scratch-built, rubber-powered Pitcairn Autogiro that flew
beautifully.
During the flying portion of the contest, 85-year-old Earl Stahl
strolled the flightline and marveled at the quality and beauty of today’s
models. He is a living legend and is credited with inspiring generations
of FF Scale modelers with his many designs in the 1930s and 1940s.
Earl was thrilled to see not only the increasing numbers of FAC
contestants, but also that women and children have joined their ranks.
Marcy Green, Marie Rees, Juanita Reichel, and Jane Smith entered
and flew models. Marie won FAC Powder Puff Scale flying a Vega.
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34 MODEL AVIATION
A few of the many superb FAC Scale models (clockwise from bottom): a Westland Widgeon, a de Havilland Tiger Moth, and Marie
Rees’ Lockheed Vega built from her husband Dave’s plans. Clemens photo.
Thirteen-year-old Christian Buck won the
Phantom Flash Junior event, and 14-year-old
David Wenzel finished a close second. The
Most Outstanding Junior competitor award
went to 17-year-old Dennis “D.J.” Ruhland.
Charles and Karin Slater came to Geneseo
with their beautiful children Jolie (9 months),
Sorin (5 years), and Morgan (7 years). The
Slaters reside in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
They traveled by train from Orlando to
Washington DC. From there, they drove to
Geneseo in their 1965 Porsche bus.
Charles has been flying models since his
teens and knew the dynamic Doc Martin of
Miami quite well. In the mid-1980s, Charles
met FAC star Richard Miller at a big meet.
Saturday, Richard charmed everyone by
playing his tiny harmonica while dancing on
the flying field with baby Jolie.
Charles bought a couple of simple models
Saturday, built them overnight, and returned
with the family on Sunday. To Morgan’s and
Sorin’s delight, the models flew well. Richard
Miller was there to help with the trimming
and test-flying.
Mike Midkiff of Texas stopped by to
chat with me on the field. He is currently
using his substantial creative talent to help
Dare Design and Engineering. He has
moved into a happy and busy retirement
and says that FAC activity is growing
rapidly in Texas.
Many years ago, Mike lived in Erie,
Pennsylvania, and did much to help with the
early growth of the FAC in the
Pennsylvania/Ohio area. His models are
always well constructed, handsome, and fly
well.
Ted Allebone of England told me that he
has a friend in England who is trying to build
the de Havilland Mosquito that I had
published in the December 1966 Model
Airplane News. Ted’s friend wanted to know
if my model ever flew. I told him that the
pulley power arrangement was inefficient and
that it produced a powered glide from
shoulder level for approximately 100 feet at
best.
Ted also reminisced about his introduction
to FF Scale in England. He said that as a
child, he went as an observer to British flying
meets. On one of his outings he had the
pleasure of seeing Phil Smith, who designed
the Veron series of kits. Ted said that Phil
showed up in a small, dilapidated van full of
Veron prototypes. He cordoned off a piece of
ground that was large enough to display all of
his models, and then he flew them, to the
delight of all present.
Ted said that Phil was a “real gentleman”
and that he would take time to speak with
onlookers—especially children—about
building and flying model airplanes. As such,
he was a precursor to today’s FAC types. Ted
credits Phil, who is still flying in his 80s, with
being a major influence that led him to a
lifetime of happy modeling.
Some of the best moments of this year’s
FAC Nats happened after the contest ended,
on July 16-17. On both days the rain stopped,
the skies cleared, and the winds calmed.
Under these pleasant conditions, modelers
trimmed and flew until dark.
D.C. Maxecuters Don Srull and Pat Dailey
gave impressive demonstrations of their RC
electric-powered Grumman Wildcat and
Curtiss P-1 Hawk fighters. (These were not
FF models, but they were flown after the
contest.)
Although the weather was unpleasant during
the contest, it did not dampen the wit of those
present. While approaching the General
Headquarters (GHQ) tent where Ross Mayo,
Juanita Reichel, and Roy Cortney and his
wife Diane were busy processing flight
scores, Dave Stott gleefully chirped, “Ladies
and Gentlemen, I give you the FAC recording
stars.” Then he added, “And would you
believe it, none of them has ever cut a
record?”
Gordon Roberts saw me working on my
notes and asked, “Busy composing Dennis?”
When I said that I was, he quipped, “Well
that’s better than decomposing. Hawww!”
“There will be time enough for that,” I replied.
Ed Novak and I watched the tribute to the
late Bob Thompson at noon on Sunday. Ralph
Kuenz gave a stirring toast, complete with
complimentary cups of wine for everyone
who attended. (The group was estimated at
more than 100.)
After the toast, Dave Stott released a
colorful bunch of helium balloons tied to
Bob’s Comet Heinkel fighter (less motor and
propeller). As the model floated up into the
clouds and disappeared, Ed turned to me and
said, “Bob never could get that model to fly,
and when it reaches him he’s gonna say,
‘They finally got it to fly to me, but those
jerks forgot my motor and prop!’” Such is the
way of the FAC.
If you want more information about the
Flying Aces Club or if you want to become a
member and receive the unique bimonthly
newsletter, contact Colonel Lin Reichel,
Commander-in-Chief, FAC at FAC-GHQ,
3301 Cindy Ln., Erie PA 16506. Membership
is $15 per year (US), $20 per year (Canada),
and $25 per year (overseas). MA
Dennis O. Norman
11216 Lake Ave.
Cleveland OH 44102
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