Author: Dennis Norman
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/12
Page Numbers: 134,135,136,137
,
,
,

Free Flight Scale

Dennis Norman [[email protected]]

Tales from the FAC Non-Nats

There were 115 contestants at the 2009 FAC (Flying Aces Club) Non-Nats, held at Geneseo, New York, July 16–18. Among those who attended were several prominent AMA leaders, including President Dave Mathewson, Executive Director Jim Cherry, District II Vice President Gary Fitch, and District III Vice President Bob Brown.

Bob competed in the flying and, with a 55-second flight, won the Rocket/Jet Scale event with his outstanding Blohm und Voss Bv 215, built from a Shorty's Basement kit.

This year marked two milestones in aviation history: the 80th anniversary of the Cleveland National Air Races and the 100th anniversary of Louis Blériot's crossing of the English Channel. The FAC celebrated both events.

The Greve and Thompson mass launches were tributes to the Golden Age of air racing. Each winner of the Thompson received a special plaque that I made, commemorating Cleveland's pivotal role in air-racing history.

Blériot's achievement inspired the FAC to create the S.L.O.W. event, which was open to models of pre-1915 aircraft. Although the models were built to scale, humorous and colorful covering schemes were encouraged to offset the "plain-Jane" look of most pioneer types.

The BLUR racecourse became the English Channel. Models were flown in heats of three. Unlike all other FAC events, the models that won the S.L.O.W. did so by flying the slowest and lowest over "the Channel." Much laughter and cheering erupted as the S.L.O.W. contest unfolded. Dainty models drifted, dorked, and crashed as they struggled to traverse the course.

Rich Weber's tiny Latham Monobloc was of particular interest. Resplendent in crimson and cream, it had a fierce dragon (from an online tattoo source) on one wing. The other wing sported Japanese script that translated roughly to "Wing Nut": Rich's FAC nickname. It had the perfect look for the event.

A strange thing about the Monobloc was its attraction to field judge Vance Gilbert. During the model's first flight, it went directly at Vance, who was forced to jump out of the way as it nearly hit him. Figuring he was standing in the wrong place, Vance moved several yards. When the Monobloc flew its second heat, it headed directly at Vance again. In comic disbelief, he changed his field position again. The Monobloc made it to the final heat and, incredibly, locked in on Vance again, as it won the event. Vance was unscathed, but he and several others were smitten by the Monobloc. Bets are that several of the aircraft will appear at next year's S.L.O.W. competition.

I had a moving experience in Geneseo when I met Larry Sweat of Orange Park, Florida. He served in the US military and was stationed in England in the mid-1960s.

Larry had built model airplanes for years, but he had become bored and was about to give up the hobby when he saw my first published article, in the December 1966 Model Airplane News. The piece was about a rubber-powered de Havilland Mosquito that used a pulley system to drive both propellers from a single pulley attached to a rubber motor in the fuselage.

The model flew, but not well. It managed to give only a long powered glide. Sweat said that it inspired him and rekindled his interest in model aviation: a hobby that he enjoys to this day.

Following are the 2009 FAC Non-Nats awards and honors.

  • Founding Father's Award (Scale): Jim DeTar, George Lewis
  • Cat's Ass Trophy (Best Scale Crash): John Hauk, Tom Hallman
  • Vic Didelot FAC Spirit Award: Pres Bruning
  • 100 FAC Victories: Dan Kane
  • Blue Max Awards: Dallas Cornelius, Joe Finn

And following are the category winners.

  • Blur Race: Ed Pelatowski / Folkerts SK-2
  • FAC Dime Scale — Nostalgic: Paul Boyanowski / Spitfire
  • FAC Dime Scale — Traditional: Jack McGillivray / Boeing Monomail
  • FAC Embryo Endurance: Dallas Cornelius / Sharky
  • FAC Fiction Flyer Scale: Tom Hallman / Smilin' Jack X-13
  • FAC GHG Peanut Scale: Dallas Cornelius / Lacey M-10
  • FAC Jimmie Allen Event: Vic Nippert / Skokie
  • FAC Jumbo/Giant Scale: Vance Gilbert / Mitsubishi "Betty"
  • FAC Old Time Gas Replica: Vic Nippert / Aerobo
  • FAC Old Time Rubber: Vic Nippert / Hi-Climber
  • FAC Old Time Stick: Dan Driscoll / Miss Production
  • FAC Phantom Flash: George Lewis / Phantom Flash R.O.G.
  • FAC Rubber Scale: Andrew Ricci / Arado Ar.440
  • FAC WWII Combat: Pat Murray / TBF Avenger
  • French Design: Frank Rowsome / Caudron Cyclone
  • Golden Age Biplane: Richard Zapf / WACO SRE
  • Golden Age Civil Scale: Dallas Cornelius / Interstate Cadet
  • Golden Age Military Scale: Dallas Cornelius / de Havilland D.H.29
  • Greve Race: Jack McGillivray / P-W "Mr. Smoothie"

It is my custom at this time of year to give you some tips for your holiday shopping from the Non-Nats vendors. They're listed in alphabetical order in the "Sources" list at the end of this column, which contains their contact information.

My company, Air Ace Models, sells a clever line of 18 inexpensive covering kits for the Phantom Flash R.O.G. Each contains full-size plans, a parts drawing, background text, a copy of the FAC Phantom Flash rules, covering instructions, and a full-color 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of oversized coverings printed on Esaki tissue with a copier (making wet-covering possible). All of that is $5 plus postage per kit.

Air Ace Models' newest release is the full-fuselage Phantom Flash II, which includes all of the items listed in the preceding paragraph and three 8.5 x 11-inch sheets of full-color Esaki tissue, for double-covering the reinforced wing and stabilizer and built-up fuselage. The Phantom Flash II kit costs $12 plus postage per kit. Eighteen covering choices are available for this model too.

Lee Campbell owns Campbell's Custom Kits, which sells a large selection of kits and modeling materials. Most recently, the company has introduced a full laser-cut replica kit of the classic Comet Gull, which sells for $73 plus $8 shipping and handling. Campbell's is also a source for the new FAI rubber, which I will write about later in this column. It currently sells for $25 per box plus shipping and handling.

Contra Prop Units has developed a line of excellent contrarotating propeller (CRP) units for rubber power. Owner John Regalbuto has created several impressive models using his CRP. His four-motored, rubber-powered Northrop XB-35 flying wing was the talk of the 2008 FAC Nats. Each motor powered one pusher CRP unit.

At this year's Non-Nats, John wowed them again with his version of the ill-fated Hughes XF-11 photo-reconnaissance aircraft. The giant-scale model is powered by twin rubber motors, each driving one of John's latest CRP units. For more information about these exciting products, contact John.

Crosswinds, the quarterly newsletter of the Cleveland Free Flight Society, presented the new "CFFS Index" to Crosswinds and the early CFFS newsletters covering the period of May 1972 through mid-2009. Articles, plans, scale views, and more are listed in the index, which makes it possible to order relevant back issues. Contact Russ Brown for further details.

Documentation Books from Pat Murray is a large selection of Squadron/Signal aviation booklets covering issues 1–200. These are $10–$22 plus shipping and handling. Contact Murray to obtain an e-mail listing of the available publications.

Don Wilson Bass and Balsa Wood was at Geneseo with an excellent selection of sheet and strip balsa. Especially impressive was new balsa from Ecuador, which is light, strong, and straight-grained. In addition, Don sells numerous other materials and publications about bass and balsa woodworking.

Easy Built Models has three new rubber-powered models: a 24-inch-span Lockheed Orion, finished in the Shell Oil Company's colorful livery, for $39.95 plus shipping; a 22-inch-span Chambermaid Racer for $38.95 plus shipping; and a delightful 16.5-inch-span Blériot XI (1909), whose price is yet to be announced.

Easy Built Models traces its roots to the 1930s. Under the direction of its current owner, Dave Niedzielski, the company has been modernized and is a major contributor to today's aeromodelling market. He sells great stuff.

John Clapp of FAI Model Supply caused a sensation in Geneseo with his latest batches of rubber for motors. The manufacturer's change in the formula has resulted in a homogeneous new rubber, which has performance that rivals great types of the past. The company is selling this selection in 1/16- and 1/8-inch widths, for $25 per 1-pound box. Larger widths (3/16 inch, 1/4 inch, etc.) might be available in time for holiday shoppers.

FAI Model Supply has also introduced two new IKARA indoor kits and has a large assortment of fine-quality propellers, accessories, and other products.

Flying Aces Club merchandise was introduced in 1978. This year's official FAC T-shirt is a handsome and colorful depiction of Louis Blériot's historic crossing of the English Channel in a Blériot XI. The talented Pres Bruning did the impeccable artwork. If you did not get a shirt at Geneseo, you can order one for only $10 plus shipping.

FAC calendars for 2010 are available for $15, and the elegant pin celebrating the FAC Nats' 30th anniversary is $8 plus shipping. In addition to these items, the club offers books, magazines, plans, kits, accessories, and much more. Contact FAC News Editor Juanita Reichel for further information.

Although he did not officially participate as a vendor in Geneseo, Klass Wings' owner Keith Sterner enthusiastically told of his progress in designing and manufacturing CRP units. He utilizes a completely different gearing mechanism from those by Contra Prop Units.

Two sizes of CRP are available. The largest weighs approximately 8 grams and is good for models with spans as large as 30 inches. The other unit weighs roughly 3 grams and is suited for models ranging from 20 inches in wingspan to Peanut size. Klass Wings' units come with extra-long prop shafts and can be trimmed to fit your model. The small units currently sell for $40 and the big units sell for $50, plus postage. Keith is also developing a line of laser-cut kits. Contact him for more information.

Alan Cohen of NS Wheels had a splendid selection of his handmade vintage wheels in a variety of sizes at the Non-Nats. At as much as $30 per pair, the price is reasonable considering the time and effort involved in making them. In addition, Alan has found an exotic source for new balsa of exceptional quality. He might offer it to modelers in the near future.

Shorty's Basement includes the team of "Dynamic" Dan and Carole Kane, who continue expanding their impressive line of products. One of their newest is John Bell's book, Flying Scale Model Plans. It is a tribute to his wife and presents 29 construction plans and 18 scale drawings. This ring-bound collection is printed on 11 x 17-inch paper and costs $20 plus shipping. It is a must for plans collectors.

Shorty's is also presenting a new Raptor-powered kit of the F-4 Phantom and a new rubber-powered kit of Old Tiger. Their prices are yet to be announced. On top of all that, Shorty's Basement is expecting to introduce an excellent line of ducted-fan units that Steve Bage of Scotland has designed.

The preceding vendors helped make the 2009 Non-Nats a success, and they can brighten your holiday season with their wonderful products. May joy and peace be with you and all those you love.

  • DN

Sources:

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.