District XI - 2010/11

ON AUGUST 14 AND 15, the Bell Air R/C
Flyers Club of Bellingham, Washington
hosted the Fifth Annual Warbirds over
Whatcom and Fun-Fly at the club’s beautiful
site near Bellingham. The weekend was a
big success with 32 pilots registered and
more than 100 airplanes.
An estimated 700 fans also enjoyed the
two-day event. Temperatures were 90° or
higher Saturday and Sunday—hot for
Washington—but that didn’t stop the pilots
from flying more than 80 sorties on Saturday
alone. Flights included mock WW I dog fights
with machine gun sounds transmitted over the
public address system, bombs dropped on an
8-foot cardboard ship with explosive sounds,
and six miniature paratroopers jumping from
a C-47 troop carrier.
The Bellingham Herald, local radio, and
television provided excellent pre-event
publicity. The local Experimental Aircraft
Association Chapter (EAA) provided several
flyovers with a 7/8-scale Tiger Moth decorated
with WW I British roundels and sported a
Lewis machine gun on the upper wing.
Joe Moser, a local hero and WW II P-38
pilot, was present to give a television
interview and sign his book covering his
experience after being shot down on his 44th
mission in Europe and subsequently
imprisoned in the Buchenwald Nazi
concentration camp.
Warbird winners included Pat Belisle for
best WW I aircraft with his 1/3-scale
Sopwith Pup. The team of Jay Schoening
and Jerry McLean won both the best WW II
and Best of Show with their troop dropping
and invasion marked C-47, and Jeff Mullen
had the best Military Trainer with his 1/5-
scale AT-6.
This AT-6 won Best Trainer and received a
hand-crafted trophy.
A scratch-built Avenger from Team Belisle.
Photos are courtesy of John Vanderhage
of John VH Photography and Jeffrey Rugon.
Sunday was an All Bird Fun-Fly and
featured the fly-by of a Homeland Security
Black Hawk helicopter, much to the
enjoyment of a large group of senior citizens
invited by club members. The club also
provided free hot dogs, chips, and drinks to
the seniors.
Events such as this do not happen
without a great deal of work by club
members and a lot of additional support. A
big thank-you to the Bell Aire R/C Flyers
Club members, CD Gerry Becker, local
media, local businesses including
Performance R/C Hobbies and Hobbytown
USA, and to the many model aviation
vendors including Great Planes, Balsa USA,
TroyBuilt Models, RCReport Online, and
Dick Hansen Videos for their generous
donations.
Gerry Becker’s Fokker D.VII.
Best WW II model was this C-47 ready to
drop troops.
Best WW I model was a 1/3-scale Sopwith
Pup.
There was standing room only for
spectators.
This 7/8-scale Tiger Moth aircraft performs a
fly-by.
District XI
Bruce Nelson, District XI Vice President; [email protected]
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
Bruce Nelson
Vice President
807 E. Vicksburg St.,
Spokane WA 99208
Phone: (509) 467 8348
[email protected]
Associate Vice
Presidents
Rick Allison, Issaquah WA;
[email protected]
Darrell Anderson, Great Falls MT;
[email protected]
Bryan Batch, Spokane WA
[email protected]
Al Culver, Wilder ID;
[email protected]
Bruce Harlow, Myrtle Creek OR;
[email protected]
Jerry Holcomb, Vancouver WA;
[email protected]
Gene LaFond, Wenatchee WA;
[email protected]
Reeves Lippincott, Wasilla AK;
[email protected]
Mike Mosbrooker, Oak Harbor
WA; [email protected]
Claude Tanner, Boise ID;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator
Phil Tallman, Medical Lake WA;
(509) 299-5102;
[email protected]
District RC Coordinator
W.T. (Bill) Smith, Seattle WA;
[email protected]
Web site: www.amadistrict11.org
District XI Volunteers
174 MODEL AVIATION