Author: Stan Alexander
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/06
Page Numbers: 26,27,28,29,30
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Mint Julep Scale Meet

Stan Alexander

Location and history

Kentucky has a wealth of beautiful state parks. One of the jewels—Rough River Dam State Resort Park—is located on State Highway 79 in Falls of Rough in western Kentucky. The Kentucky Department of Parks, in association with the AMA and the Southern Indiana R/C Modelers, started this meet many years ago. From the start, Dale Arvin and John Guenther have worked together to bring scale-aircraft competition to modelers in this region.

Roughly 30 years ago, the Kentucky Department of Parks was looking for events to fill its off-season schedule, and a modeler on its board suggested hosting a radio-control Pattern/Scale event, including racing. For the first few years the meet was a combined Pattern/Scale contest. Eventually Scale, racing, and Pattern separated into individual events, with Scale originally held in April. Because of persistent wet weather, the Southern Indiana R/C Modelers sought a later date. With park administration’s help, the group selected the weekend after Mother’s Day and has held the Mint Julep that weekend ever since.

The Mint Julep, held May 17–19 in 2002, regularly draws modelers from New York to Florida and as far west as Kansas and Iowa. There are many reasons for the long-term success of this Scale competition and the three organizations that started it.

Facilities

The park offers a lodge, restaurants, a banquet hall (used for static judging on Friday), meeting rooms, newly appointed cabins, a large lake for fishing and water sports, hiking trails, and quiet surroundings. Featured at many state parks across the country, there is also a small airport with a 2,000-foot runway. The runway is smooth and provides a pretty good overfly area, though the wind often blows down the runway—especially during the Scale contest.

Organization and volunteers

Rough River Dam State Resort Park has an excellent recreation director. Tom DeHaven is an important part of the team, along with many Southern Indiana R/C Modelers members, who make this event a success, according to Dale Arvin. Tom helps Dale and the club take care of silver trophies, tents, portable power systems, banquet setup, golf carts, and many other details that reduce the club's responsibilities each year. More parks and clubs should try this model.

There has been a rebuilding and renovation effort at the state park that helps keep it full during the event, which adds revenue to the park’s, county’s, and state’s bottom lines. The upgraded reservation system allows the park to take reservations years in advance; it was taking reservations for this event through 2005.

As do most contest directors, Dale and some club members work on the Mint Julep most of the year. Contacts with the park, sponsorship from hobby manufacturers, and—most important—volunteers who love Scale contests must be developed and encouraged to participate. It’s a family affair for the Arvins: Dale’s wife Mary and their son Jeremy work at the contest, and Jeremy also competes.

One modeler, Bob Underwood, has attended 29 of the 30 contests, making the trip each year with his wife Rae and their daughter Cathy, who served as his assistant and memory for most meets.

Sponsorship

This year’s sponsorship came from many sources, including:

  • Airtronics
  • Nick Ziroli Plans
  • Testor Corporation
  • Horizon Hobby
  • MGA Enterprises
  • Balsa USA
  • Robart Manufacturing
  • Great Planes
  • Master Airscrew
  • Northeast Screen Graphics
  • Radio Controlled Models
  • Air Age Publications and Model Airplane News
  • Hobby Lobby
  • Frank Tiano Enterprises
  • Pacer
  • JR
  • Bob Smith Industries
  • JZ Props

Classes and rules

The Mint Julep has been synonymous with innovative classes for Scale modelers. It’s a US Scale Masters Qualifier, but event administrators aren’t afraid to try new classes or rules to encourage Scale competition.

An example of this forward thinking is the Expert class, which is split into two divisions:

  • Division 1 — models whose prototypes had retracting gear, more than one mechanical option, or were designed especially for racing.
  • Division 2 — aircraft whose prototypes had fixed gear, no more than one mechanical option, or were not designed especially for racing.

This split was introduced because jets and heavy-metal World War II fighters were competing against Piper J-3 Cubs and civil transport–type aircraft. The division gives modelers who want to build Piper Tomahawks or WACO YMF-5s a fair class; they don’t have to compete against aircraft such as the P-47 Thunderbolt. It makes the class more user-friendly and gives biplane and light civil aircraft a shot at trophies. It also helps those who practice with lighter aircraft and don’t have fields suitable for very fast jets or large WWII models.

Competition highlights

Al Kretz won Expert Division 2 flying his familiar scratch-built Dornier Do 23G, a World War II–era German bomber/transport from the 1930s. Second place went to Skip Mast flying a much-modified Sig J-3 Cub. Al and Skip are former Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Scale team members.

Skip changed the complete nose section on his Cub, modified the wing attachment with plug-in wings (as in newer 1/5-scale J-3 Cub kits), braced the upper part of the cabin, and changed mounting points. His wing panels are foam with added details for scale rib placement.

Bob Patton took third in Division 2 with a Piper Tomahawk, a low-wing civil-aviation standard. Bob designed the 122-inch-span airplane using fiberglass and foam construction techniques; the model weighed 38 pounds and used the one mechanical option, flaps.

In Expert Division 1, Tom Czikk took first place with a P-47D Thunderbolt. He used a Vailly Aviation fiberglass fuselage and his own wing and tail designs. The model spanned 92 inches, was powered by a 3W-75 engine, and was flown on a JR radio. During the last round on Sunday, Tom lost elevator control on landing; a post-crash inspection revealed a 10-32 elevator-control bolt had sheared off in the linkage.

Cliff Christensen won Sportsman class flying a T-34 Mentor. Cliff flew his 65-inch-span model consistently all weekend. The model was covered with MonoKote, with painted surfaces finished in LusterKote, and used an Airtronics radio with Spring Air retracts and flaps.

Richard Crupi flew a TopFlite P-51 Mustang conversion in Sportsman, choosing the earlier P-51B rather than the more common P-51D. The P-51B’s extended turtledeck tends to track better in the air. Richard finished second, even after his model lost a wheel in one round.

Steve Parsons rounded out the top three in Sportsman with a Fun Aero World War I S.E.5a. The model was covered with Dacron cloth and painted with polyurethane, had a 60-inch wingspan, weighed 9 pounds, and used an O.S. FS-91 engine with a JR radio. Steve has been modeling for 13 years and was in his second year competing in Scale.

Bob Bush earned first place in Fun Scale Novice with an Extra 300. The 1/3-scale model spanned 89 inches and was flown with a Futaba 9ZAP radio. Steve Jennings flew a Hangar 9 Piper J-3 Cub to finish second, and Joe Robertson completed all four rounds to finish third with his Balsa USA Sopwith Pup.

Designer Scale was won by Bob Underwood with his Stormovik Il-2M3 (98.00 static, total 183.250). Team Scale winners included George Maiorana (builder) and Dave Pinegar (pilot) with a Tupolev Tu-4 (97.00 static, total 192.250).

Helping new competitors

The big story at this contest is that the Mint Julep “grows” Scale modelers. It’s a place to get your feet wet with almost any type of Scale model. Static and flight judges are there to do their jobs, but I witnessed them helping first-time competitors as well.

One modeler at the flight line didn’t have a caller or a call sheet and was nervous. Veteran flight judge Bill Stewart stopped to explain that he needed a caller and a call sheet. Bill drafted me as the caller; we made up a call sheet and completed the flight. Bill pointed out expert modelers to watch and suggested the new competitor watch others. The rest of his flights were better, and he ended up placing in the top three in Fun Scale Novice. That’s a success story worth repeating.

Many modelers think they aren’t good enough or their models aren’t nice enough to fly in competition, but that isn’t true. One modeler came with a Cessna he called a “beater” as a warm-up before flying his Corsair. The Cessna was ragged but had been rebuilt over many hours and flew perfectly. He got through his first round and was hooked. Flying the Cessna doubled his number of flights for the weekend and gave him additional practice in front of the judges. That’s just good common sense.

This was a great way to celebrate 30 years of Scale modeling in western Kentucky. The Southern Indiana R/C Modelers members are planning another Scale event for September on their new grass field; check the club Web site for details.

Stan Alexander 3709 Valley Ridge Dr. Nashville, TN 37211 [email protected]

Sources

  • Rough River Dam State Resort Park

450 Lodge Rd. Falls of Rough, KY 40119 (270) 257-2311 www.roughriverdam.com

  • Southern Indiana R/C Modelers — www.sirmc.com
  • Dale Arvin, president

3428 Charlestown Pike Jeffersonville, IN 47130-8168 (812) 284-0162 [email protected]

  • John Guenther, contest director

21609 Borden-Greenville Rd. Borden, IN 47106 (812) 967-2814 [email protected]

Mint Julep 2002 Results

Fun Scale Open

  1. Chuck Baker — P-47 Thunderbolt — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 95.375
  2. Gary Walker — Bearcat "Rare Bear" — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 93.125
  3. Bill Brucken — Fairchild PT-19 — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 92.375
  4. Dale Drew — Morrisey Bravo — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 92.125
  5. Herman Cholewinski — Pitts S-1-11B — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 89.250

Fun Scale Aerobatic

  1. Jeremy Arvin — Extra 330L — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 96.125
  2. Andy Pound — Extra 330L — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 96.125
  3. Al Kretz — Extra 300 — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 94.250
  4. David Pinegar — Extra 300 — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 94.000
  5. Steve Ort — Extra 300 — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 93.500

Fun Scale Novice

  1. Bob Bush — Extra 300 — Static Score 0.00 — Total Score 90.620
  2. Steve Jennings — Piper J-3 Cub — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 85.000
  3. Joe Robertson III — Sopwith Pup — Static Score 5.00 — Total Score 78.750
  4. Ed Sensenbaugh — Ultimate — Static Score 0.00 — Total Score 73.000

Team Scale

  1. George Maiorana, builder — Tupolev Tu-4 — Static Score 97.00 — Total Score 192.250
  • Dave Pinegar, pilot
  1. Earl Muenze, builder — Fairchild M-62 — Static Score 91.00 — Total Score 182.125
  • Mike Barbee, pilot
  1. Bill Early, builder — Stearman PT-17 — Static Score 94.00 — Total Score 181.875
  • Wayne Cecil, pilot

Sportsman

  1. Cliff Christensen — Beechcraft T-34 — Static Score 89.00 — Total Score 176.25
  2. Richard Crupi — P-51B — Static Score 88.00 — Total Score 171.25
  3. Steve Parsons — S.E.5a — Static Score 83.00 — Total Score 150.25
  4. John Sedletzeck — Pitts Super Stinker — Static Score 84.00 — Total Score 102.25
  5. Tom Blunt — Stinson SR-9 — Static Score 88.00 — Total Score 0.00

Designer Scale

  1. Bob Underwood — Stormovik Il-2M3 — Static Score 98.00 — Total Score 183.250
  2. Charlie Baker — Randon T 1 — Static Score 98.00 — Total Score 134.125

Expert Division 1

  1. Tom Czikk — Republic P-47 — Static Score 95.00 — Total Score 183.250
  2. Charlie Baker — PT-26 Cornell — Static Score 97.00 — Total Score 173.125
  3. Byron Hoyle — F4U-4 Corsair — Static Score 88.00 — Total Score 149.250

Expert Division 2

  1. Al Kretz — Dornier Do 23G — Static Score 98.00 — Total Score 187.375
  2. Skip Mast — Piper J-3 Cub — Static Score 96.00 — Total Score 183.375
  3. Bob Patton — Piper Tomahawk — Static Score 98.00 — Total Score 182.250
  4. Earl Muenze — WACO YMF-3 — Static Score 99.00 — Total Score 178.000
  5. Gary Parenti — Beta Minor — Static Score 94.00 — Total Score 177.250

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