Free Flight Scale - 2010/03 | Model Aviation Library

Author: Dennis Norman

Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/03
Page Numbers: 110,111,112,115

The Wawayanda contest's 10th anniversary blast

Dennis Norman [[email protected]]

Contest report

The Barron Field Air Races held in Wawayanda, New York, celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 24–25, 2009. Models in 20 Flying Aces Club (FAC) events filled the sometimes rainy and windy sky, but spirits were high as more than 30 contestants competed.

Contest CDs Tom Hallman and John Houck ran a first-class show. Despite ominous forecasts of dismal weather, intrepid FACers came from the eastern US and Canada to enjoy Wawayanda's huge, manicured sod fields.

According to Tom, Saturday the 24th began with "a light drizzle and near zero wind." Shortly thereafter, an undulating series of cycles began in which the rain would stop for 15–20 minutes, showers would return for 10–15 minutes, a "dry spell" would return, etc. That continued until early afternoon, but the faithful were undaunted and proceeded with a staccato of frenetic flights, many mass launches, and some near flyaways.

By roughly 1:30 p.m., a dramatic "wall of wind" disrupted everything as preparations were being made to begin the first round of the Golden Age Racers Mass Launch. Some competitors' tents were peeled from their frames. Tables were blown over, with everything on them tossed to the ground. Mayhem ensued as everyone frantically scrambled to avert further disaster.

All flying stopped by 2:30. Most of the contestants adjourned to the nearby Colonial Diner to recover and discuss the day's events. No one could remember a more dramatic change in the weather. All hopes were pinned on having a better Sunday.

Early forecasts for the 25th were good enough that an additional 12 fliers showed up shortly after 8 a.m. Winds were brisk and remained at 10–15 mph for most of the day, but it was dry and sunny. Since Saturday's flying was cut short and there were a dozen more fliers, Sunday's pace was brisk.

The WWII Mass Launch exploded with 16 fliers. Four were eliminated in each round until the fourth and final flight. In the third round, the wind kicked up to carry Luc Martin's Arsenal VG 33 to the trees by the river's edge and Rich Weber's Dewoitine D.520 another quarter-mile beyond the river. This eliminated them from the competition. Models flown by Chris Starleaf, Pete Kaiteris, and Dallas Cornelius also had close encounters with the river's edge. In the last flight, Rich Gorman's Yak-3 topped Chris Starleaf's P-51 and Paul Stott's Fiat G.55 to win the class.

Quite a few models landed in the river, but none matched the great Dave Stott's. Fifty percent of his flights ended up "wet" and won him the notorious Harvey Wallbanger Award.

Another memorable flight was turned in by Mark Fineman. His handsome yellow-and-silver Vega flew for two minutes, 32 seconds, thanks to a cozy encounter with a determined thermal.

A total of 12 fliers took home a Kanone, which set a record for the contest. Rich Weber won an impressive three Kanones. The ever-formidable Wally Farrell claimed Grand Champion honors.

By the time the contest officially ended at 5 p.m. Sunday, the wind had disappeared but the sun still shone. Many lingered after the awards ceremony to enjoy a breathtaking sunset. Weather adventures aside, FACers who attended were inspired by Wawayanda and vowed to return this year.

Special thanks to Rich Weber, Tom Hallman, Doug Beardsworth, the D.C. Maxecuters, and Small Flying Arts; their comments, e-mails, and photos made this report possible.

Award winners

FAC Catapult Jet Scale: Vic Nippert, Martin B-57 Canberra
FAC Contra Rotating Prop: Tom Hallman, Koolhoven F.K.5501
FAC Dime Scale: Doug Beardsworth, Typhoon
FAC Embryo Endurance: Ed Pelatowski, Cruiser
FAC Fiction Flier Scale: Rich Weber, Booth Ranger
FAC Goodyear Racers: Chris Starleaf, Pogo
FAC No-Cal: Bruce Foster, WACO
FAC Oldtime Plan/Kit Scale: Dave Mitchell, Navion
FAC Peanut Scale: Rich Weber, Potez 29
FAC Power Scale: Tom Hallman, Aerobile
FAC Scale: Tom Hallman, Do X
Flying Horde: Wally Farrell, Mr. Smoothie
Golden Age Civil & Military: Vic Nippert, ME-35B
Golden Age Racers: Wally Farrell, Mr. Smoothie
Jumbo Scale: Chris Starleaf, SBC-3
Mega S.E. Mx Mass Launch: Pete Kaiteris, S.E.5
Modern Age Civil: Dallas Cornelius, Lacey
Modern Age Military: Wally Farrell, MiG-15
WW I Combat: Rich Weber, Fokker D.VII
WW II Combat: Rich Gorman, Yak-3
Harvey Wallbanger Award: Dave Stott
2009 Grand Champion: Wally Farrell

Red Tail Project and movie note

Red Tails is a new movie by George Lucas that was set to be released this summer. Given his stunning talent with special effects, the flying scenes should be magnificent. I hope this film dramatically increases interest in the achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen and their heroic service to the US.

The Red Tail Project, a special tribute to the Commemorative Air Force, has restored a P-51C Mustang and returned it to the skies. It is currently touring air shows as a tangible reminder of how the Tuskegee Airmen helped win two wars: one against Nazi Germany and the other against segregation at home.

The Red Tail Project is currently raising funds to build a 53-foot exhibition trailer that will travel across the US, encouraging kids to rise above the challenges they face, as the Tuskegee Airmen did. Donations to the Red Tail traveling museum are being sought. See the "Sources" list at the end of this column for further information.

Shorty's Basement and Air Ace Models

Shorty's Basement has obtained an excellent supply of high-quality silver tissue from Esaki Model in Japan. Many modelers love the P-51. How about making an all-silver Mustang with a red tail for the 2010 season?

Air Ace Models has a well-designed P-51C and will be making it available in Red Tail markings this spring. See the "Sources" list for contact information for these two companies.

Air Ace Models is introducing another new product in 2010. The Phantom Flash II Chameleon is a new free-flight sport design that is based on the venerable Phantom Flash ROG (rise-off-ground) of the mid-1930s.

In mid-2009, the company debuted a series of 18 covering kits (spanning three eras) for the Phantom Flash ROG. The eye-catching kits are printed in full color on white Esaki tissue, using a color copier, as described in my "Color Copier Techniques" article published in the June 2002 MA.

Sixty of the covering kits were presented at the 2009 FAC Non-Nats in Geneseo, New York. At a cost of only $5 each, they sold out.

The success of the Phantom Flash ROG covering kits led to the development of the Phantom Flash PF II. It features a full fuselage with modest structural strengthening of the flying surfaces, to better tolerate the stresses of two-sided covering for the wings and stabilizer.

As is the Phantom Flash ROG, the Phantom Flash II is presented as a basic airframe to which a variety of colorful Air Ace Models markings can be applied. Because of the nature of the Phantom Flash II, it has been dubbed "the Chameleon." This model will be available starting at the Toledo Show in April.

Each Phantom Flash ROG covering kit contains full-size construction plans, a parts-sheet drawing, and instructions regarding construction and covering. The kit, as such, is a short kit and does not include balsa, propeller, wire, and other materials for completing the airframe.

If you want a kit for the airframe, an excellent laser-cut version for the Phantom Flash ROG is marketed by Thomas Designs under the name "R.O.G. Redux." See the "Sources" list for contact information.

Air Ace Models will initially offer the Phantom Flash II Chameleon as a short kit. As with the ROG version, the Flash II kit will contain full-size plans and a printed parts sheet. It will also include a detailed, four-page set of construction notes. Because of its greater surface area, the Chameleon requires three 8-1/2 x 11 sheets of printed tissue with a sheet of special tips for covering.

In this form, the Phantom Flash II will be sold for $15 per kit plus postage and handling. Depending on customer demand, a full laser-cut kit might be available late in 2010.

Cleveland Model & Supply — P-26A Dwarf

Stephen E. Kanyusik sent a charming note asking for help in locating a P-26A Dwarf kit that Cleveland Model & Supply Company marketed in the 1930s. The P-26A was one of the company's most popular models.

Original kits are usually owned by collectors, who are generally reluctant to part with them. Since the kits are collectors' items, they command serious sums.

My advice to Stephen was to contact John Jaycox, who currently owns Cleveland Model. The company is now based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Good-quality prints of the plans and print wood for the Dwarf (and more than 1,100 Cleveland designs) are available at reasonable prices. See the source list for contact information.

Hannan's Runway

Bill and Joan Hannan graciously e-mailed to convey that they are enjoying this column. They also let me know that they are continuing to downsize their Hannan's Runway mail-order business.

The Hannans consider themselves semiretired but are keeping their web site active until the remaining stock of publications and VHS tapes is exhausted. They have always presented high-quality items, and I urge you to check out their remaining merchandise. You might get some excellent buys while supplies last.

Bill sent a picture of one of the walls in his hobby room, showing a neat way to "hangar" models between trips to the flying field. See the "Sources" list for company contact information.

Top Flite Skyrocket and F-86D anecdote

Jay Criswell contacted me while searching for one of the Douglas Skyrocket kits that Top Flite Models marketed approximately 50 years ago. The airplane spanned 12 inches and was intended for either catapult or Jetex with a catapult. Jay's father gave him a kit, but he never built it and it disappeared.

Top Flite also manufactured a 13-inch-span kit of the F-86D Sabre jet. Both kits featured unique "Superform" balsa fuselage shells, sheet wings and tail, and molded plastic parts. Top Flite crowed that they were easy to build and initially sold them for $1 each.

I told Jay that I remembered the kits well and that I had built and flown the Skyrocket as a catapult glider years ago. He enjoyed reminiscing and was delighted when I told him that I had two Top Flite Skyrocket kits and one F-86D kit in my collection.

Jay is in touch with English free-flight scale jet builders and hopes to interest them in producing a similar kit that is suitable for either Jetex or Rapier power. After friendly negotiations, I sold him one of my Skyrocket kits. He is proceeding with his English friends. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it; the molded fuselage shell conveys a smooth look for jet subjects.

Closing

I thank the clubs that send me their newsletters. Many are of high quality and make a significant contribution to the richness of today’s free flight and free flight scale scene. I also appreciate hearing from you by telephone, regular mail, or electronically.

One of the joys of these times is the ability to communicate with kindred spirits worldwide. I welcome new ideas and products and enjoy your recollections, which enrich our hobby/sport. Photographs are extremely important; please keep them coming.

Until next time, take care and "keep 'em flyin'!" DN