Racing Over Rantoul
October 2006 33
BY BEN LANTERMAN
Fred French’s number 17 overtakes Tom Easterday’s number-18 racer in an Unlimited
race. Fred’s higher-drag model’s engine is turning noticeably faster.
Jerry Bradley’s smooth-flying number-8 GR-7
dips a wing. The 26-pound composite model
spans 129.5 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
DURING THE warm summer days of June
22-25, 2006, Rantoul, Illinois, became the site
of some great RC Giant Scale racing. It hosted
one of the Unlimited Scale Racing
Association 2006 World Championship Series
races. You can find the locations and dates of
all the races in the series at www.usrainfo.org.
However, before I write about the racing I
must mention some nice people at Horizon
Hobby for their kindness while my wife
Bonnie and I were visiting Rantoul. Thanks to
Kim Rix for her gracious and enthusiastic
help during the race.
Thanks to Steve Goodreau, Horizon’s
publicity and media planner, for all the things
he did to make us feel at home. And thanks to
Horizon photographer Steve Hale for his
friendliness and for being great company; for
three days we shared a bale of hay in the
observer-helper’s bunker.
Bonnie and I were delighted with the
friendliness these people showed us and their
offers of help during the weekend. If the
Horizon Hobby people wanted us to go away
with a warm feeling, they indeed achieved
their goal. The company has many nice
Giant Scale racing is
a thriller, and the
2006 USRA World
Championship Series
has only just begun
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:50 AM Page 3334 MODEL AVIATION
Jeff Powell holds the world record of 1:23:45 for Formula 1 racing. His fastest time during
this race was a blistering 1:24.44!
Peter Goldsmith’s Miss Ashley is being fired up for another heat. The racing teams
followed consistent procedures and used enough manpower to assure that the models
were always handled safely.
David Pane releases Peter Goldsmith’s number -23 Kelly F1
pounds and is powered by a Zenoah GT-80.
Dean Cranston’s number-21 Dominator won the Dominator event. This class uses the lowcost
Lanier design with a fairly limited engine choice. The similarity of the equipment
assures some of the closest races during an event.
people working for it; you should give its
products a look.
Many years ago, in the prehistoric times
when cameras used film, I attended one of
the early Giant Scale racing events. I still
have enlarged photos from that event on my
basement hobby-room wall. The airplanes
still look great, but I had forgotten the sounds
and feelings of speed that should be part of
the memories of the race.
When I realized that Rantoul was just a
short day’s drive from my home in Saint
Charles, Missouri, and since I have
converted to digital photography, I decided
to take another look at this part of our great
sport.
If you get a chance to go to one of these
races and don’t, you will have missed one of
the most exciting events aeromodeling has to
offer. The Giant Scale races are the closest
thing to IndyCar racing our sport provides. If
you like nice people, beautiful airplanes, the
noise of big engines running flat out with no
mufflers and speed (and, deep down, who
doesn’t?), these races are for you.
Rantoul, Illinois, is the home of The
Rantoul National Aviation Center and
Airport Facility, which was previously the
Chanute Air Force Base. The location is
perfect for these races because it has a huge
hangar for safely storing assembled airplanes
and equipment at night; a gigantic concrete
apron for parking, tents, and trailers; and,
best of all, a full-scale-sized runway for
takeoffs and landings (with no rough weeds
and rocks to run out on).
The race was ably directed by Peter
Bergstrom: the product development
manager for JR radios and engines at
Horizon Hobby. He has a wealth of
experience with all kinds of modeling
activities, and with his guidance the contest
proceeded smoothly during the three days.
I don’t think I ever saw Peter without a
bit of a smile on his face that weekend. As all
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:52 AM Page 34October 2006 35
Mark Zeal’s beautiful green number-27 Polecat was easy to pick out against any color sky.
He has been racing for four years and finished second in the F1-GT Gold race.
Tom Easterday’s number-18 “Always Something” Unlimited racer lifts off. Tom had zero
times in the first two rounds but came back strong in the final rounds for a great finish.
The number-44 Black Flame Stiletto—campaigned by Tim
Sparks—had promise to be a serious racer but suffered damage
resulting from a hard belly landing.
Racing Over Rantoul Scores
Dominator Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Dean Cranston*21*2:07.03
2. Michael Moyers*49*2:07.20
3. Roger Bailey*4*2:17.16
4. Scott Pope*777*2:21.57
5. Oscar Slaughter*4x*0:00.00
Formula 1 GT Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Robert Vess*42*1:48.55
2. Mark Zeal*27*1:49.76
3. David Payne*98*1:53.31
4. Denny Baker*690*1:53.52
5. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:57.64
Formula 1 GT Silver Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Joe Rafalowski*55x*1:50.44
2. David Payne*98*1:52.97
3. Archie Snider*11*2:00.09
4. Tim Sparks*14a*2:00.36
5. Jake Hanbury*1*2:08.44
Formula 1 Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Ken McSpadden*19*1:24:33
2. Jeff Powell*10*1:28.74
3. Tom Easterday*18*1:31.80
4. Mike McConville*81*1:31:80
5. Fred Sargent*76*1:45.33
Unlimited Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Fred French*17*1:17.97
2. Tom Easterday*18*1:32.92
3. Tom Keating*19*1:32.97
4. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:34.12
5. Dave Smith*99*0:00.00
Photos by the author
h’s number -23 Kelly F1-GT for another heat. The sleek and curvy racer weighs 27
GT-80.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:53 AM Page 3536 MODEL AVIATION
Safety Inspector Holly Hollingsworth and pilot Dave Smith are in the safety
checkout area while testing the flight control functions.
Ray Thompson’s number-55 Cassutt is one of the oldest
fiberglass, Zenoah GT-80-powered model weighs 28 pounds
Airplanes, pilots, and pit crews prepare for an Unlimited heat.
The AstroTurf was rescued from an athletic field and put to much
more sensible use.
Paul Towkach’s F1-GT GR-7 corrects for wind on landing after a
heat race. The bright-pink paint makes it easy to locate the
model among others on the course.
Ken McSpadden leads Tom Easterday in the Formula 1 Gold finals. Ken went on to win the event even though Tom’s airplane was
roughly four seconds faster.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:00 AM Page 36October 2006 37
Fred Sargent’s number-76 GR-7 finished fifth in Formula 1. The 28-pound model has
been racing since 1997—a testament to Fred’s flying skills and the strength of the allcomposite
construction.
Mike McConville’s number-81 Formula 1 entry: a GR-7 weighing 27.5 pounds and spanning
131 inches. Mike flew his model to a fourth-place finish.
Keith Keoppel built Fred French’s Unlimited-winning Aero Sport NA-50. Fred used a Super Cool 21 x 26 carbon-fiber propeller
mated to an Aerrow 200 engine running on Ritch’s Brew 10%-nitro fuel. The NA-50 has been referred to as an “export fighter
version of the AT-6 Texan.”
people associated with this race seemed to be,
he was having fun.
Holly Hollingsworth was the race’s line
director. His knowledge of racing activities
allows him to run an efficient and safe
flightline. The sound and fury on a Giant Scale
racing flightline when all engines are running
means that great care must be taken at all
times.
All fliers, helpers, and photographers on
the flightline need to be able to look toward
one person for direction. Holly filled that
position nicely with zero fuss. I would feel
safer standing next to a pilot’s station during
this race than anywhere at many flying fields I
have visited. (My home club’s—the Boeing
Phantom Flyers’—site is an exception, of
course.)
I haven’t mentioned the other personnel
involved in the race, but I am not ignoring
them; there are just too many to name. They
weren’t seen or heard from, but they were
necessary and truly appreciated by the racers.
It requires good people to be spotters for
each racer at each pylon, to work the timing
equipment, to set the hay bales for safety
of the oldest
hs 28 pounds
Formula 1 designs still flying. The wood-andand
is finished with paint and MonoKote.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:13 AM Page 37barriers, to tabulate the scoring, to provide
food and drinks, and to do the dozens of jobs
I don’t know about but are crucial for a
smooth race. Each racer, spectator, and I owe
all those people a “thank you” for jobs well
done.
The races at Rantoul included Dominator,
Formula 1 GT (F1-GT), Formula 1, and
Unlimited classes. Unfortunately there
weren’t enough entries to have the biplane
race. You can find the specifications for each
class on the USRA Web page. This
interesting site also includes some history,
dates of upcoming races, and other
information of racing interest.
Five rounds were contested for each class.
A final race in each division determined the
winners. The participants in each race were
the fastest competitors during the preliminary
rounds. Additionally, there was a Gold and
Silver race final in the popular F1-GT and
Formula 1 classes.
The warm weather varied from clear to
cloudy and was never a factor in the racing.
What was a factor was how fast those
marvelous racing machines could be flown
around the racecourse.
All the races started with “flying starts,”
which places a great deal of emphasis on
pilot-caller communication and timing. A
large digital clock across the runway along
the start-finish line gives a running
countdown to the start of the race.
The caller must relay the countdown to
the pilot, who is already busy trying to
position his or her airplane perfectly to
achieve the top speed just as it reaches the
start line precisely when the clock reaches
zero. Having perfect coordination between
the caller and pilot at the start can make
the difference between winning or having
just another good attempt.
I won’t cover individual races since I want
to leave more room for photos, but I will
share a few lingering impressions with you.
The emphasis on safety was impressive.
Holly made a statement to the effect of,
“Don’t make me get involved in your racing.”
I don’t believe he ever had to.
The long parade of beautifully finished
airplanes that were brought out for each race
was awe-inspiring. The only exception was
Tom Keating’s Unlimited primer-coated
model; the finish was smooth and slippery,
but it was the result of an unfortunate case of
Working-for-a-Living Syndrome cutting into
modeling time. Tom finished third in
Unlimited.
The sound and fury of five Unlimitedclass
airplanes diving toward the start line and
turning into the first pylon turn is gripping.
Ken McSpadden’s super-fast GR-7, which
was just an orange flash as it passed the startfinish
line, rests firmly in my memory.
The closeness of the racing in Dominator
kept me on the edge of my seat. Yet the
whole time the competitors’ smiles and
friendliness toward everyone, including
each other, reminded me that they are
having a lot of fun.
The sound of Fred French’s engine as his
Unlimited-class-winning NA-50 stormed
down the front straight was absolutely
incredible. Fred’s receiving a kiss from caller
Lynda at the end of each race put the icing on
the cake. They are nice people and set a great
example of togetherness for all of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the
sponsors of this race, which include Zenoah
engines, JR radios, Horizon Hobby, USRA
Racing, Fly RC magazine, California
Research Tabulations, Inc., APC propellers,
RCATS systems, Tru-Turn spinners, and
Great Planes Manufacturing.
The sponsors provided hardware and great
cash prizes to the race winners. Cash prizes
add much more to the zest of racing these
pilots feel—especially if they receive one.
I can present only a few photos with this
article. The only “problem” with our
digital-photography age is the ease of
taking many pictures.
In the next several weeks I will have
finished reviewing and posting 800-1,000
photos to my photo Web site: http://public.
fotki.com/benlanterman. Please drop by
and visit. If you own one of the airplanes
in the photos, please feel free to contact
me. MA
Ben
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 33,34,35,36,37,39
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 33,34,35,36,37,39
Racing Over Rantoul
October 2006 33
BY BEN LANTERMAN
Fred French’s number 17 overtakes Tom Easterday’s number-18 racer in an Unlimited
race. Fred’s higher-drag model’s engine is turning noticeably faster.
Jerry Bradley’s smooth-flying number-8 GR-7
dips a wing. The 26-pound composite model
spans 129.5 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
DURING THE warm summer days of June
22-25, 2006, Rantoul, Illinois, became the site
of some great RC Giant Scale racing. It hosted
one of the Unlimited Scale Racing
Association 2006 World Championship Series
races. You can find the locations and dates of
all the races in the series at www.usrainfo.org.
However, before I write about the racing I
must mention some nice people at Horizon
Hobby for their kindness while my wife
Bonnie and I were visiting Rantoul. Thanks to
Kim Rix for her gracious and enthusiastic
help during the race.
Thanks to Steve Goodreau, Horizon’s
publicity and media planner, for all the things
he did to make us feel at home. And thanks to
Horizon photographer Steve Hale for his
friendliness and for being great company; for
three days we shared a bale of hay in the
observer-helper’s bunker.
Bonnie and I were delighted with the
friendliness these people showed us and their
offers of help during the weekend. If the
Horizon Hobby people wanted us to go away
with a warm feeling, they indeed achieved
their goal. The company has many nice
Giant Scale racing is
a thriller, and the
2006 USRA World
Championship Series
has only just begun
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:50 AM Page 3334 MODEL AVIATION
Jeff Powell holds the world record of 1:23:45 for Formula 1 racing. His fastest time during
this race was a blistering 1:24.44!
Peter Goldsmith’s Miss Ashley is being fired up for another heat. The racing teams
followed consistent procedures and used enough manpower to assure that the models
were always handled safely.
David Pane releases Peter Goldsmith’s number -23 Kelly F1
pounds and is powered by a Zenoah GT-80.
Dean Cranston’s number-21 Dominator won the Dominator event. This class uses the lowcost
Lanier design with a fairly limited engine choice. The similarity of the equipment
assures some of the closest races during an event.
people working for it; you should give its
products a look.
Many years ago, in the prehistoric times
when cameras used film, I attended one of
the early Giant Scale racing events. I still
have enlarged photos from that event on my
basement hobby-room wall. The airplanes
still look great, but I had forgotten the sounds
and feelings of speed that should be part of
the memories of the race.
When I realized that Rantoul was just a
short day’s drive from my home in Saint
Charles, Missouri, and since I have
converted to digital photography, I decided
to take another look at this part of our great
sport.
If you get a chance to go to one of these
races and don’t, you will have missed one of
the most exciting events aeromodeling has to
offer. The Giant Scale races are the closest
thing to IndyCar racing our sport provides. If
you like nice people, beautiful airplanes, the
noise of big engines running flat out with no
mufflers and speed (and, deep down, who
doesn’t?), these races are for you.
Rantoul, Illinois, is the home of The
Rantoul National Aviation Center and
Airport Facility, which was previously the
Chanute Air Force Base. The location is
perfect for these races because it has a huge
hangar for safely storing assembled airplanes
and equipment at night; a gigantic concrete
apron for parking, tents, and trailers; and,
best of all, a full-scale-sized runway for
takeoffs and landings (with no rough weeds
and rocks to run out on).
The race was ably directed by Peter
Bergstrom: the product development
manager for JR radios and engines at
Horizon Hobby. He has a wealth of
experience with all kinds of modeling
activities, and with his guidance the contest
proceeded smoothly during the three days.
I don’t think I ever saw Peter without a
bit of a smile on his face that weekend. As all
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:52 AM Page 34October 2006 35
Mark Zeal’s beautiful green number-27 Polecat was easy to pick out against any color sky.
He has been racing for four years and finished second in the F1-GT Gold race.
Tom Easterday’s number-18 “Always Something” Unlimited racer lifts off. Tom had zero
times in the first two rounds but came back strong in the final rounds for a great finish.
The number-44 Black Flame Stiletto—campaigned by Tim
Sparks—had promise to be a serious racer but suffered damage
resulting from a hard belly landing.
Racing Over Rantoul Scores
Dominator Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Dean Cranston*21*2:07.03
2. Michael Moyers*49*2:07.20
3. Roger Bailey*4*2:17.16
4. Scott Pope*777*2:21.57
5. Oscar Slaughter*4x*0:00.00
Formula 1 GT Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Robert Vess*42*1:48.55
2. Mark Zeal*27*1:49.76
3. David Payne*98*1:53.31
4. Denny Baker*690*1:53.52
5. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:57.64
Formula 1 GT Silver Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Joe Rafalowski*55x*1:50.44
2. David Payne*98*1:52.97
3. Archie Snider*11*2:00.09
4. Tim Sparks*14a*2:00.36
5. Jake Hanbury*1*2:08.44
Formula 1 Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Ken McSpadden*19*1:24:33
2. Jeff Powell*10*1:28.74
3. Tom Easterday*18*1:31.80
4. Mike McConville*81*1:31:80
5. Fred Sargent*76*1:45.33
Unlimited Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Fred French*17*1:17.97
2. Tom Easterday*18*1:32.92
3. Tom Keating*19*1:32.97
4. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:34.12
5. Dave Smith*99*0:00.00
Photos by the author
h’s number -23 Kelly F1-GT for another heat. The sleek and curvy racer weighs 27
GT-80.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:53 AM Page 3536 MODEL AVIATION
Safety Inspector Holly Hollingsworth and pilot Dave Smith are in the safety
checkout area while testing the flight control functions.
Ray Thompson’s number-55 Cassutt is one of the oldest
fiberglass, Zenoah GT-80-powered model weighs 28 pounds
Airplanes, pilots, and pit crews prepare for an Unlimited heat.
The AstroTurf was rescued from an athletic field and put to much
more sensible use.
Paul Towkach’s F1-GT GR-7 corrects for wind on landing after a
heat race. The bright-pink paint makes it easy to locate the
model among others on the course.
Ken McSpadden leads Tom Easterday in the Formula 1 Gold finals. Ken went on to win the event even though Tom’s airplane was
roughly four seconds faster.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:00 AM Page 36October 2006 37
Fred Sargent’s number-76 GR-7 finished fifth in Formula 1. The 28-pound model has
been racing since 1997—a testament to Fred’s flying skills and the strength of the allcomposite
construction.
Mike McConville’s number-81 Formula 1 entry: a GR-7 weighing 27.5 pounds and spanning
131 inches. Mike flew his model to a fourth-place finish.
Keith Keoppel built Fred French’s Unlimited-winning Aero Sport NA-50. Fred used a Super Cool 21 x 26 carbon-fiber propeller
mated to an Aerrow 200 engine running on Ritch’s Brew 10%-nitro fuel. The NA-50 has been referred to as an “export fighter
version of the AT-6 Texan.”
people associated with this race seemed to be,
he was having fun.
Holly Hollingsworth was the race’s line
director. His knowledge of racing activities
allows him to run an efficient and safe
flightline. The sound and fury on a Giant Scale
racing flightline when all engines are running
means that great care must be taken at all
times.
All fliers, helpers, and photographers on
the flightline need to be able to look toward
one person for direction. Holly filled that
position nicely with zero fuss. I would feel
safer standing next to a pilot’s station during
this race than anywhere at many flying fields I
have visited. (My home club’s—the Boeing
Phantom Flyers’—site is an exception, of
course.)
I haven’t mentioned the other personnel
involved in the race, but I am not ignoring
them; there are just too many to name. They
weren’t seen or heard from, but they were
necessary and truly appreciated by the racers.
It requires good people to be spotters for
each racer at each pylon, to work the timing
equipment, to set the hay bales for safety
of the oldest
hs 28 pounds
Formula 1 designs still flying. The wood-andand
is finished with paint and MonoKote.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:13 AM Page 37barriers, to tabulate the scoring, to provide
food and drinks, and to do the dozens of jobs
I don’t know about but are crucial for a
smooth race. Each racer, spectator, and I owe
all those people a “thank you” for jobs well
done.
The races at Rantoul included Dominator,
Formula 1 GT (F1-GT), Formula 1, and
Unlimited classes. Unfortunately there
weren’t enough entries to have the biplane
race. You can find the specifications for each
class on the USRA Web page. This
interesting site also includes some history,
dates of upcoming races, and other
information of racing interest.
Five rounds were contested for each class.
A final race in each division determined the
winners. The participants in each race were
the fastest competitors during the preliminary
rounds. Additionally, there was a Gold and
Silver race final in the popular F1-GT and
Formula 1 classes.
The warm weather varied from clear to
cloudy and was never a factor in the racing.
What was a factor was how fast those
marvelous racing machines could be flown
around the racecourse.
All the races started with “flying starts,”
which places a great deal of emphasis on
pilot-caller communication and timing. A
large digital clock across the runway along
the start-finish line gives a running
countdown to the start of the race.
The caller must relay the countdown to
the pilot, who is already busy trying to
position his or her airplane perfectly to
achieve the top speed just as it reaches the
start line precisely when the clock reaches
zero. Having perfect coordination between
the caller and pilot at the start can make
the difference between winning or having
just another good attempt.
I won’t cover individual races since I want
to leave more room for photos, but I will
share a few lingering impressions with you.
The emphasis on safety was impressive.
Holly made a statement to the effect of,
“Don’t make me get involved in your racing.”
I don’t believe he ever had to.
The long parade of beautifully finished
airplanes that were brought out for each race
was awe-inspiring. The only exception was
Tom Keating’s Unlimited primer-coated
model; the finish was smooth and slippery,
but it was the result of an unfortunate case of
Working-for-a-Living Syndrome cutting into
modeling time. Tom finished third in
Unlimited.
The sound and fury of five Unlimitedclass
airplanes diving toward the start line and
turning into the first pylon turn is gripping.
Ken McSpadden’s super-fast GR-7, which
was just an orange flash as it passed the startfinish
line, rests firmly in my memory.
The closeness of the racing in Dominator
kept me on the edge of my seat. Yet the
whole time the competitors’ smiles and
friendliness toward everyone, including
each other, reminded me that they are
having a lot of fun.
The sound of Fred French’s engine as his
Unlimited-class-winning NA-50 stormed
down the front straight was absolutely
incredible. Fred’s receiving a kiss from caller
Lynda at the end of each race put the icing on
the cake. They are nice people and set a great
example of togetherness for all of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the
sponsors of this race, which include Zenoah
engines, JR radios, Horizon Hobby, USRA
Racing, Fly RC magazine, California
Research Tabulations, Inc., APC propellers,
RCATS systems, Tru-Turn spinners, and
Great Planes Manufacturing.
The sponsors provided hardware and great
cash prizes to the race winners. Cash prizes
add much more to the zest of racing these
pilots feel—especially if they receive one.
I can present only a few photos with this
article. The only “problem” with our
digital-photography age is the ease of
taking many pictures.
In the next several weeks I will have
finished reviewing and posting 800-1,000
photos to my photo Web site: http://public.
fotki.com/benlanterman. Please drop by
and visit. If you own one of the airplanes
in the photos, please feel free to contact
me. MA
Ben
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 33,34,35,36,37,39
Racing Over Rantoul
October 2006 33
BY BEN LANTERMAN
Fred French’s number 17 overtakes Tom Easterday’s number-18 racer in an Unlimited
race. Fred’s higher-drag model’s engine is turning noticeably faster.
Jerry Bradley’s smooth-flying number-8 GR-7
dips a wing. The 26-pound composite model
spans 129.5 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
DURING THE warm summer days of June
22-25, 2006, Rantoul, Illinois, became the site
of some great RC Giant Scale racing. It hosted
one of the Unlimited Scale Racing
Association 2006 World Championship Series
races. You can find the locations and dates of
all the races in the series at www.usrainfo.org.
However, before I write about the racing I
must mention some nice people at Horizon
Hobby for their kindness while my wife
Bonnie and I were visiting Rantoul. Thanks to
Kim Rix for her gracious and enthusiastic
help during the race.
Thanks to Steve Goodreau, Horizon’s
publicity and media planner, for all the things
he did to make us feel at home. And thanks to
Horizon photographer Steve Hale for his
friendliness and for being great company; for
three days we shared a bale of hay in the
observer-helper’s bunker.
Bonnie and I were delighted with the
friendliness these people showed us and their
offers of help during the weekend. If the
Horizon Hobby people wanted us to go away
with a warm feeling, they indeed achieved
their goal. The company has many nice
Giant Scale racing is
a thriller, and the
2006 USRA World
Championship Series
has only just begun
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:50 AM Page 3334 MODEL AVIATION
Jeff Powell holds the world record of 1:23:45 for Formula 1 racing. His fastest time during
this race was a blistering 1:24.44!
Peter Goldsmith’s Miss Ashley is being fired up for another heat. The racing teams
followed consistent procedures and used enough manpower to assure that the models
were always handled safely.
David Pane releases Peter Goldsmith’s number -23 Kelly F1
pounds and is powered by a Zenoah GT-80.
Dean Cranston’s number-21 Dominator won the Dominator event. This class uses the lowcost
Lanier design with a fairly limited engine choice. The similarity of the equipment
assures some of the closest races during an event.
people working for it; you should give its
products a look.
Many years ago, in the prehistoric times
when cameras used film, I attended one of
the early Giant Scale racing events. I still
have enlarged photos from that event on my
basement hobby-room wall. The airplanes
still look great, but I had forgotten the sounds
and feelings of speed that should be part of
the memories of the race.
When I realized that Rantoul was just a
short day’s drive from my home in Saint
Charles, Missouri, and since I have
converted to digital photography, I decided
to take another look at this part of our great
sport.
If you get a chance to go to one of these
races and don’t, you will have missed one of
the most exciting events aeromodeling has to
offer. The Giant Scale races are the closest
thing to IndyCar racing our sport provides. If
you like nice people, beautiful airplanes, the
noise of big engines running flat out with no
mufflers and speed (and, deep down, who
doesn’t?), these races are for you.
Rantoul, Illinois, is the home of The
Rantoul National Aviation Center and
Airport Facility, which was previously the
Chanute Air Force Base. The location is
perfect for these races because it has a huge
hangar for safely storing assembled airplanes
and equipment at night; a gigantic concrete
apron for parking, tents, and trailers; and,
best of all, a full-scale-sized runway for
takeoffs and landings (with no rough weeds
and rocks to run out on).
The race was ably directed by Peter
Bergstrom: the product development
manager for JR radios and engines at
Horizon Hobby. He has a wealth of
experience with all kinds of modeling
activities, and with his guidance the contest
proceeded smoothly during the three days.
I don’t think I ever saw Peter without a
bit of a smile on his face that weekend. As all
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:52 AM Page 34October 2006 35
Mark Zeal’s beautiful green number-27 Polecat was easy to pick out against any color sky.
He has been racing for four years and finished second in the F1-GT Gold race.
Tom Easterday’s number-18 “Always Something” Unlimited racer lifts off. Tom had zero
times in the first two rounds but came back strong in the final rounds for a great finish.
The number-44 Black Flame Stiletto—campaigned by Tim
Sparks—had promise to be a serious racer but suffered damage
resulting from a hard belly landing.
Racing Over Rantoul Scores
Dominator Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Dean Cranston*21*2:07.03
2. Michael Moyers*49*2:07.20
3. Roger Bailey*4*2:17.16
4. Scott Pope*777*2:21.57
5. Oscar Slaughter*4x*0:00.00
Formula 1 GT Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Robert Vess*42*1:48.55
2. Mark Zeal*27*1:49.76
3. David Payne*98*1:53.31
4. Denny Baker*690*1:53.52
5. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:57.64
Formula 1 GT Silver Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Joe Rafalowski*55x*1:50.44
2. David Payne*98*1:52.97
3. Archie Snider*11*2:00.09
4. Tim Sparks*14a*2:00.36
5. Jake Hanbury*1*2:08.44
Formula 1 Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Ken McSpadden*19*1:24:33
2. Jeff Powell*10*1:28.74
3. Tom Easterday*18*1:31.80
4. Mike McConville*81*1:31:80
5. Fred Sargent*76*1:45.33
Unlimited Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Fred French*17*1:17.97
2. Tom Easterday*18*1:32.92
3. Tom Keating*19*1:32.97
4. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:34.12
5. Dave Smith*99*0:00.00
Photos by the author
h’s number -23 Kelly F1-GT for another heat. The sleek and curvy racer weighs 27
GT-80.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:53 AM Page 3536 MODEL AVIATION
Safety Inspector Holly Hollingsworth and pilot Dave Smith are in the safety
checkout area while testing the flight control functions.
Ray Thompson’s number-55 Cassutt is one of the oldest
fiberglass, Zenoah GT-80-powered model weighs 28 pounds
Airplanes, pilots, and pit crews prepare for an Unlimited heat.
The AstroTurf was rescued from an athletic field and put to much
more sensible use.
Paul Towkach’s F1-GT GR-7 corrects for wind on landing after a
heat race. The bright-pink paint makes it easy to locate the
model among others on the course.
Ken McSpadden leads Tom Easterday in the Formula 1 Gold finals. Ken went on to win the event even though Tom’s airplane was
roughly four seconds faster.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:00 AM Page 36October 2006 37
Fred Sargent’s number-76 GR-7 finished fifth in Formula 1. The 28-pound model has
been racing since 1997—a testament to Fred’s flying skills and the strength of the allcomposite
construction.
Mike McConville’s number-81 Formula 1 entry: a GR-7 weighing 27.5 pounds and spanning
131 inches. Mike flew his model to a fourth-place finish.
Keith Keoppel built Fred French’s Unlimited-winning Aero Sport NA-50. Fred used a Super Cool 21 x 26 carbon-fiber propeller
mated to an Aerrow 200 engine running on Ritch’s Brew 10%-nitro fuel. The NA-50 has been referred to as an “export fighter
version of the AT-6 Texan.”
people associated with this race seemed to be,
he was having fun.
Holly Hollingsworth was the race’s line
director. His knowledge of racing activities
allows him to run an efficient and safe
flightline. The sound and fury on a Giant Scale
racing flightline when all engines are running
means that great care must be taken at all
times.
All fliers, helpers, and photographers on
the flightline need to be able to look toward
one person for direction. Holly filled that
position nicely with zero fuss. I would feel
safer standing next to a pilot’s station during
this race than anywhere at many flying fields I
have visited. (My home club’s—the Boeing
Phantom Flyers’—site is an exception, of
course.)
I haven’t mentioned the other personnel
involved in the race, but I am not ignoring
them; there are just too many to name. They
weren’t seen or heard from, but they were
necessary and truly appreciated by the racers.
It requires good people to be spotters for
each racer at each pylon, to work the timing
equipment, to set the hay bales for safety
of the oldest
hs 28 pounds
Formula 1 designs still flying. The wood-andand
is finished with paint and MonoKote.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:13 AM Page 37barriers, to tabulate the scoring, to provide
food and drinks, and to do the dozens of jobs
I don’t know about but are crucial for a
smooth race. Each racer, spectator, and I owe
all those people a “thank you” for jobs well
done.
The races at Rantoul included Dominator,
Formula 1 GT (F1-GT), Formula 1, and
Unlimited classes. Unfortunately there
weren’t enough entries to have the biplane
race. You can find the specifications for each
class on the USRA Web page. This
interesting site also includes some history,
dates of upcoming races, and other
information of racing interest.
Five rounds were contested for each class.
A final race in each division determined the
winners. The participants in each race were
the fastest competitors during the preliminary
rounds. Additionally, there was a Gold and
Silver race final in the popular F1-GT and
Formula 1 classes.
The warm weather varied from clear to
cloudy and was never a factor in the racing.
What was a factor was how fast those
marvelous racing machines could be flown
around the racecourse.
All the races started with “flying starts,”
which places a great deal of emphasis on
pilot-caller communication and timing. A
large digital clock across the runway along
the start-finish line gives a running
countdown to the start of the race.
The caller must relay the countdown to
the pilot, who is already busy trying to
position his or her airplane perfectly to
achieve the top speed just as it reaches the
start line precisely when the clock reaches
zero. Having perfect coordination between
the caller and pilot at the start can make
the difference between winning or having
just another good attempt.
I won’t cover individual races since I want
to leave more room for photos, but I will
share a few lingering impressions with you.
The emphasis on safety was impressive.
Holly made a statement to the effect of,
“Don’t make me get involved in your racing.”
I don’t believe he ever had to.
The long parade of beautifully finished
airplanes that were brought out for each race
was awe-inspiring. The only exception was
Tom Keating’s Unlimited primer-coated
model; the finish was smooth and slippery,
but it was the result of an unfortunate case of
Working-for-a-Living Syndrome cutting into
modeling time. Tom finished third in
Unlimited.
The sound and fury of five Unlimitedclass
airplanes diving toward the start line and
turning into the first pylon turn is gripping.
Ken McSpadden’s super-fast GR-7, which
was just an orange flash as it passed the startfinish
line, rests firmly in my memory.
The closeness of the racing in Dominator
kept me on the edge of my seat. Yet the
whole time the competitors’ smiles and
friendliness toward everyone, including
each other, reminded me that they are
having a lot of fun.
The sound of Fred French’s engine as his
Unlimited-class-winning NA-50 stormed
down the front straight was absolutely
incredible. Fred’s receiving a kiss from caller
Lynda at the end of each race put the icing on
the cake. They are nice people and set a great
example of togetherness for all of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the
sponsors of this race, which include Zenoah
engines, JR radios, Horizon Hobby, USRA
Racing, Fly RC magazine, California
Research Tabulations, Inc., APC propellers,
RCATS systems, Tru-Turn spinners, and
Great Planes Manufacturing.
The sponsors provided hardware and great
cash prizes to the race winners. Cash prizes
add much more to the zest of racing these
pilots feel—especially if they receive one.
I can present only a few photos with this
article. The only “problem” with our
digital-photography age is the ease of
taking many pictures.
In the next several weeks I will have
finished reviewing and posting 800-1,000
photos to my photo Web site: http://public.
fotki.com/benlanterman. Please drop by
and visit. If you own one of the airplanes
in the photos, please feel free to contact
me. MA
Ben
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 33,34,35,36,37,39
Racing Over Rantoul
October 2006 33
BY BEN LANTERMAN
Fred French’s number 17 overtakes Tom Easterday’s number-18 racer in an Unlimited
race. Fred’s higher-drag model’s engine is turning noticeably faster.
Jerry Bradley’s smooth-flying number-8 GR-7
dips a wing. The 26-pound composite model
spans 129.5 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
DURING THE warm summer days of June
22-25, 2006, Rantoul, Illinois, became the site
of some great RC Giant Scale racing. It hosted
one of the Unlimited Scale Racing
Association 2006 World Championship Series
races. You can find the locations and dates of
all the races in the series at www.usrainfo.org.
However, before I write about the racing I
must mention some nice people at Horizon
Hobby for their kindness while my wife
Bonnie and I were visiting Rantoul. Thanks to
Kim Rix for her gracious and enthusiastic
help during the race.
Thanks to Steve Goodreau, Horizon’s
publicity and media planner, for all the things
he did to make us feel at home. And thanks to
Horizon photographer Steve Hale for his
friendliness and for being great company; for
three days we shared a bale of hay in the
observer-helper’s bunker.
Bonnie and I were delighted with the
friendliness these people showed us and their
offers of help during the weekend. If the
Horizon Hobby people wanted us to go away
with a warm feeling, they indeed achieved
their goal. The company has many nice
Giant Scale racing is
a thriller, and the
2006 USRA World
Championship Series
has only just begun
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:50 AM Page 3334 MODEL AVIATION
Jeff Powell holds the world record of 1:23:45 for Formula 1 racing. His fastest time during
this race was a blistering 1:24.44!
Peter Goldsmith’s Miss Ashley is being fired up for another heat. The racing teams
followed consistent procedures and used enough manpower to assure that the models
were always handled safely.
David Pane releases Peter Goldsmith’s number -23 Kelly F1
pounds and is powered by a Zenoah GT-80.
Dean Cranston’s number-21 Dominator won the Dominator event. This class uses the lowcost
Lanier design with a fairly limited engine choice. The similarity of the equipment
assures some of the closest races during an event.
people working for it; you should give its
products a look.
Many years ago, in the prehistoric times
when cameras used film, I attended one of
the early Giant Scale racing events. I still
have enlarged photos from that event on my
basement hobby-room wall. The airplanes
still look great, but I had forgotten the sounds
and feelings of speed that should be part of
the memories of the race.
When I realized that Rantoul was just a
short day’s drive from my home in Saint
Charles, Missouri, and since I have
converted to digital photography, I decided
to take another look at this part of our great
sport.
If you get a chance to go to one of these
races and don’t, you will have missed one of
the most exciting events aeromodeling has to
offer. The Giant Scale races are the closest
thing to IndyCar racing our sport provides. If
you like nice people, beautiful airplanes, the
noise of big engines running flat out with no
mufflers and speed (and, deep down, who
doesn’t?), these races are for you.
Rantoul, Illinois, is the home of The
Rantoul National Aviation Center and
Airport Facility, which was previously the
Chanute Air Force Base. The location is
perfect for these races because it has a huge
hangar for safely storing assembled airplanes
and equipment at night; a gigantic concrete
apron for parking, tents, and trailers; and,
best of all, a full-scale-sized runway for
takeoffs and landings (with no rough weeds
and rocks to run out on).
The race was ably directed by Peter
Bergstrom: the product development
manager for JR radios and engines at
Horizon Hobby. He has a wealth of
experience with all kinds of modeling
activities, and with his guidance the contest
proceeded smoothly during the three days.
I don’t think I ever saw Peter without a
bit of a smile on his face that weekend. As all
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:52 AM Page 34October 2006 35
Mark Zeal’s beautiful green number-27 Polecat was easy to pick out against any color sky.
He has been racing for four years and finished second in the F1-GT Gold race.
Tom Easterday’s number-18 “Always Something” Unlimited racer lifts off. Tom had zero
times in the first two rounds but came back strong in the final rounds for a great finish.
The number-44 Black Flame Stiletto—campaigned by Tim
Sparks—had promise to be a serious racer but suffered damage
resulting from a hard belly landing.
Racing Over Rantoul Scores
Dominator Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Dean Cranston*21*2:07.03
2. Michael Moyers*49*2:07.20
3. Roger Bailey*4*2:17.16
4. Scott Pope*777*2:21.57
5. Oscar Slaughter*4x*0:00.00
Formula 1 GT Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Robert Vess*42*1:48.55
2. Mark Zeal*27*1:49.76
3. David Payne*98*1:53.31
4. Denny Baker*690*1:53.52
5. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:57.64
Formula 1 GT Silver Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Joe Rafalowski*55x*1:50.44
2. David Payne*98*1:52.97
3. Archie Snider*11*2:00.09
4. Tim Sparks*14a*2:00.36
5. Jake Hanbury*1*2:08.44
Formula 1 Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Ken McSpadden*19*1:24:33
2. Jeff Powell*10*1:28.74
3. Tom Easterday*18*1:31.80
4. Mike McConville*81*1:31:80
5. Fred Sargent*76*1:45.33
Unlimited Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Fred French*17*1:17.97
2. Tom Easterday*18*1:32.92
3. Tom Keating*19*1:32.97
4. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:34.12
5. Dave Smith*99*0:00.00
Photos by the author
h’s number -23 Kelly F1-GT for another heat. The sleek and curvy racer weighs 27
GT-80.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:53 AM Page 3536 MODEL AVIATION
Safety Inspector Holly Hollingsworth and pilot Dave Smith are in the safety
checkout area while testing the flight control functions.
Ray Thompson’s number-55 Cassutt is one of the oldest
fiberglass, Zenoah GT-80-powered model weighs 28 pounds
Airplanes, pilots, and pit crews prepare for an Unlimited heat.
The AstroTurf was rescued from an athletic field and put to much
more sensible use.
Paul Towkach’s F1-GT GR-7 corrects for wind on landing after a
heat race. The bright-pink paint makes it easy to locate the
model among others on the course.
Ken McSpadden leads Tom Easterday in the Formula 1 Gold finals. Ken went on to win the event even though Tom’s airplane was
roughly four seconds faster.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:00 AM Page 36October 2006 37
Fred Sargent’s number-76 GR-7 finished fifth in Formula 1. The 28-pound model has
been racing since 1997—a testament to Fred’s flying skills and the strength of the allcomposite
construction.
Mike McConville’s number-81 Formula 1 entry: a GR-7 weighing 27.5 pounds and spanning
131 inches. Mike flew his model to a fourth-place finish.
Keith Keoppel built Fred French’s Unlimited-winning Aero Sport NA-50. Fred used a Super Cool 21 x 26 carbon-fiber propeller
mated to an Aerrow 200 engine running on Ritch’s Brew 10%-nitro fuel. The NA-50 has been referred to as an “export fighter
version of the AT-6 Texan.”
people associated with this race seemed to be,
he was having fun.
Holly Hollingsworth was the race’s line
director. His knowledge of racing activities
allows him to run an efficient and safe
flightline. The sound and fury on a Giant Scale
racing flightline when all engines are running
means that great care must be taken at all
times.
All fliers, helpers, and photographers on
the flightline need to be able to look toward
one person for direction. Holly filled that
position nicely with zero fuss. I would feel
safer standing next to a pilot’s station during
this race than anywhere at many flying fields I
have visited. (My home club’s—the Boeing
Phantom Flyers’—site is an exception, of
course.)
I haven’t mentioned the other personnel
involved in the race, but I am not ignoring
them; there are just too many to name. They
weren’t seen or heard from, but they were
necessary and truly appreciated by the racers.
It requires good people to be spotters for
each racer at each pylon, to work the timing
equipment, to set the hay bales for safety
of the oldest
hs 28 pounds
Formula 1 designs still flying. The wood-andand
is finished with paint and MonoKote.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:13 AM Page 37barriers, to tabulate the scoring, to provide
food and drinks, and to do the dozens of jobs
I don’t know about but are crucial for a
smooth race. Each racer, spectator, and I owe
all those people a “thank you” for jobs well
done.
The races at Rantoul included Dominator,
Formula 1 GT (F1-GT), Formula 1, and
Unlimited classes. Unfortunately there
weren’t enough entries to have the biplane
race. You can find the specifications for each
class on the USRA Web page. This
interesting site also includes some history,
dates of upcoming races, and other
information of racing interest.
Five rounds were contested for each class.
A final race in each division determined the
winners. The participants in each race were
the fastest competitors during the preliminary
rounds. Additionally, there was a Gold and
Silver race final in the popular F1-GT and
Formula 1 classes.
The warm weather varied from clear to
cloudy and was never a factor in the racing.
What was a factor was how fast those
marvelous racing machines could be flown
around the racecourse.
All the races started with “flying starts,”
which places a great deal of emphasis on
pilot-caller communication and timing. A
large digital clock across the runway along
the start-finish line gives a running
countdown to the start of the race.
The caller must relay the countdown to
the pilot, who is already busy trying to
position his or her airplane perfectly to
achieve the top speed just as it reaches the
start line precisely when the clock reaches
zero. Having perfect coordination between
the caller and pilot at the start can make
the difference between winning or having
just another good attempt.
I won’t cover individual races since I want
to leave more room for photos, but I will
share a few lingering impressions with you.
The emphasis on safety was impressive.
Holly made a statement to the effect of,
“Don’t make me get involved in your racing.”
I don’t believe he ever had to.
The long parade of beautifully finished
airplanes that were brought out for each race
was awe-inspiring. The only exception was
Tom Keating’s Unlimited primer-coated
model; the finish was smooth and slippery,
but it was the result of an unfortunate case of
Working-for-a-Living Syndrome cutting into
modeling time. Tom finished third in
Unlimited.
The sound and fury of five Unlimitedclass
airplanes diving toward the start line and
turning into the first pylon turn is gripping.
Ken McSpadden’s super-fast GR-7, which
was just an orange flash as it passed the startfinish
line, rests firmly in my memory.
The closeness of the racing in Dominator
kept me on the edge of my seat. Yet the
whole time the competitors’ smiles and
friendliness toward everyone, including
each other, reminded me that they are
having a lot of fun.
The sound of Fred French’s engine as his
Unlimited-class-winning NA-50 stormed
down the front straight was absolutely
incredible. Fred’s receiving a kiss from caller
Lynda at the end of each race put the icing on
the cake. They are nice people and set a great
example of togetherness for all of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the
sponsors of this race, which include Zenoah
engines, JR radios, Horizon Hobby, USRA
Racing, Fly RC magazine, California
Research Tabulations, Inc., APC propellers,
RCATS systems, Tru-Turn spinners, and
Great Planes Manufacturing.
The sponsors provided hardware and great
cash prizes to the race winners. Cash prizes
add much more to the zest of racing these
pilots feel—especially if they receive one.
I can present only a few photos with this
article. The only “problem” with our
digital-photography age is the ease of
taking many pictures.
In the next several weeks I will have
finished reviewing and posting 800-1,000
photos to my photo Web site: http://public.
fotki.com/benlanterman. Please drop by
and visit. If you own one of the airplanes
in the photos, please feel free to contact
me. MA
Ben
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 33,34,35,36,37,39
Racing Over Rantoul
October 2006 33
BY BEN LANTERMAN
Fred French’s number 17 overtakes Tom Easterday’s number-18 racer in an Unlimited
race. Fred’s higher-drag model’s engine is turning noticeably faster.
Jerry Bradley’s smooth-flying number-8 GR-7
dips a wing. The 26-pound composite model
spans 129.5 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
DURING THE warm summer days of June
22-25, 2006, Rantoul, Illinois, became the site
of some great RC Giant Scale racing. It hosted
one of the Unlimited Scale Racing
Association 2006 World Championship Series
races. You can find the locations and dates of
all the races in the series at www.usrainfo.org.
However, before I write about the racing I
must mention some nice people at Horizon
Hobby for their kindness while my wife
Bonnie and I were visiting Rantoul. Thanks to
Kim Rix for her gracious and enthusiastic
help during the race.
Thanks to Steve Goodreau, Horizon’s
publicity and media planner, for all the things
he did to make us feel at home. And thanks to
Horizon photographer Steve Hale for his
friendliness and for being great company; for
three days we shared a bale of hay in the
observer-helper’s bunker.
Bonnie and I were delighted with the
friendliness these people showed us and their
offers of help during the weekend. If the
Horizon Hobby people wanted us to go away
with a warm feeling, they indeed achieved
their goal. The company has many nice
Giant Scale racing is
a thriller, and the
2006 USRA World
Championship Series
has only just begun
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:50 AM Page 3334 MODEL AVIATION
Jeff Powell holds the world record of 1:23:45 for Formula 1 racing. His fastest time during
this race was a blistering 1:24.44!
Peter Goldsmith’s Miss Ashley is being fired up for another heat. The racing teams
followed consistent procedures and used enough manpower to assure that the models
were always handled safely.
David Pane releases Peter Goldsmith’s number -23 Kelly F1
pounds and is powered by a Zenoah GT-80.
Dean Cranston’s number-21 Dominator won the Dominator event. This class uses the lowcost
Lanier design with a fairly limited engine choice. The similarity of the equipment
assures some of the closest races during an event.
people working for it; you should give its
products a look.
Many years ago, in the prehistoric times
when cameras used film, I attended one of
the early Giant Scale racing events. I still
have enlarged photos from that event on my
basement hobby-room wall. The airplanes
still look great, but I had forgotten the sounds
and feelings of speed that should be part of
the memories of the race.
When I realized that Rantoul was just a
short day’s drive from my home in Saint
Charles, Missouri, and since I have
converted to digital photography, I decided
to take another look at this part of our great
sport.
If you get a chance to go to one of these
races and don’t, you will have missed one of
the most exciting events aeromodeling has to
offer. The Giant Scale races are the closest
thing to IndyCar racing our sport provides. If
you like nice people, beautiful airplanes, the
noise of big engines running flat out with no
mufflers and speed (and, deep down, who
doesn’t?), these races are for you.
Rantoul, Illinois, is the home of The
Rantoul National Aviation Center and
Airport Facility, which was previously the
Chanute Air Force Base. The location is
perfect for these races because it has a huge
hangar for safely storing assembled airplanes
and equipment at night; a gigantic concrete
apron for parking, tents, and trailers; and,
best of all, a full-scale-sized runway for
takeoffs and landings (with no rough weeds
and rocks to run out on).
The race was ably directed by Peter
Bergstrom: the product development
manager for JR radios and engines at
Horizon Hobby. He has a wealth of
experience with all kinds of modeling
activities, and with his guidance the contest
proceeded smoothly during the three days.
I don’t think I ever saw Peter without a
bit of a smile on his face that weekend. As all
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:52 AM Page 34October 2006 35
Mark Zeal’s beautiful green number-27 Polecat was easy to pick out against any color sky.
He has been racing for four years and finished second in the F1-GT Gold race.
Tom Easterday’s number-18 “Always Something” Unlimited racer lifts off. Tom had zero
times in the first two rounds but came back strong in the final rounds for a great finish.
The number-44 Black Flame Stiletto—campaigned by Tim
Sparks—had promise to be a serious racer but suffered damage
resulting from a hard belly landing.
Racing Over Rantoul Scores
Dominator Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Dean Cranston*21*2:07.03
2. Michael Moyers*49*2:07.20
3. Roger Bailey*4*2:17.16
4. Scott Pope*777*2:21.57
5. Oscar Slaughter*4x*0:00.00
Formula 1 GT Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Robert Vess*42*1:48.55
2. Mark Zeal*27*1:49.76
3. David Payne*98*1:53.31
4. Denny Baker*690*1:53.52
5. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:57.64
Formula 1 GT Silver Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Joe Rafalowski*55x*1:50.44
2. David Payne*98*1:52.97
3. Archie Snider*11*2:00.09
4. Tim Sparks*14a*2:00.36
5. Jake Hanbury*1*2:08.44
Formula 1 Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Ken McSpadden*19*1:24:33
2. Jeff Powell*10*1:28.74
3. Tom Easterday*18*1:31.80
4. Mike McConville*81*1:31:80
5. Fred Sargent*76*1:45.33
Unlimited Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Fred French*17*1:17.97
2. Tom Easterday*18*1:32.92
3. Tom Keating*19*1:32.97
4. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:34.12
5. Dave Smith*99*0:00.00
Photos by the author
h’s number -23 Kelly F1-GT for another heat. The sleek and curvy racer weighs 27
GT-80.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:53 AM Page 3536 MODEL AVIATION
Safety Inspector Holly Hollingsworth and pilot Dave Smith are in the safety
checkout area while testing the flight control functions.
Ray Thompson’s number-55 Cassutt is one of the oldest
fiberglass, Zenoah GT-80-powered model weighs 28 pounds
Airplanes, pilots, and pit crews prepare for an Unlimited heat.
The AstroTurf was rescued from an athletic field and put to much
more sensible use.
Paul Towkach’s F1-GT GR-7 corrects for wind on landing after a
heat race. The bright-pink paint makes it easy to locate the
model among others on the course.
Ken McSpadden leads Tom Easterday in the Formula 1 Gold finals. Ken went on to win the event even though Tom’s airplane was
roughly four seconds faster.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:00 AM Page 36October 2006 37
Fred Sargent’s number-76 GR-7 finished fifth in Formula 1. The 28-pound model has
been racing since 1997—a testament to Fred’s flying skills and the strength of the allcomposite
construction.
Mike McConville’s number-81 Formula 1 entry: a GR-7 weighing 27.5 pounds and spanning
131 inches. Mike flew his model to a fourth-place finish.
Keith Keoppel built Fred French’s Unlimited-winning Aero Sport NA-50. Fred used a Super Cool 21 x 26 carbon-fiber propeller
mated to an Aerrow 200 engine running on Ritch’s Brew 10%-nitro fuel. The NA-50 has been referred to as an “export fighter
version of the AT-6 Texan.”
people associated with this race seemed to be,
he was having fun.
Holly Hollingsworth was the race’s line
director. His knowledge of racing activities
allows him to run an efficient and safe
flightline. The sound and fury on a Giant Scale
racing flightline when all engines are running
means that great care must be taken at all
times.
All fliers, helpers, and photographers on
the flightline need to be able to look toward
one person for direction. Holly filled that
position nicely with zero fuss. I would feel
safer standing next to a pilot’s station during
this race than anywhere at many flying fields I
have visited. (My home club’s—the Boeing
Phantom Flyers’—site is an exception, of
course.)
I haven’t mentioned the other personnel
involved in the race, but I am not ignoring
them; there are just too many to name. They
weren’t seen or heard from, but they were
necessary and truly appreciated by the racers.
It requires good people to be spotters for
each racer at each pylon, to work the timing
equipment, to set the hay bales for safety
of the oldest
hs 28 pounds
Formula 1 designs still flying. The wood-andand
is finished with paint and MonoKote.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:13 AM Page 37barriers, to tabulate the scoring, to provide
food and drinks, and to do the dozens of jobs
I don’t know about but are crucial for a
smooth race. Each racer, spectator, and I owe
all those people a “thank you” for jobs well
done.
The races at Rantoul included Dominator,
Formula 1 GT (F1-GT), Formula 1, and
Unlimited classes. Unfortunately there
weren’t enough entries to have the biplane
race. You can find the specifications for each
class on the USRA Web page. This
interesting site also includes some history,
dates of upcoming races, and other
information of racing interest.
Five rounds were contested for each class.
A final race in each division determined the
winners. The participants in each race were
the fastest competitors during the preliminary
rounds. Additionally, there was a Gold and
Silver race final in the popular F1-GT and
Formula 1 classes.
The warm weather varied from clear to
cloudy and was never a factor in the racing.
What was a factor was how fast those
marvelous racing machines could be flown
around the racecourse.
All the races started with “flying starts,”
which places a great deal of emphasis on
pilot-caller communication and timing. A
large digital clock across the runway along
the start-finish line gives a running
countdown to the start of the race.
The caller must relay the countdown to
the pilot, who is already busy trying to
position his or her airplane perfectly to
achieve the top speed just as it reaches the
start line precisely when the clock reaches
zero. Having perfect coordination between
the caller and pilot at the start can make
the difference between winning or having
just another good attempt.
I won’t cover individual races since I want
to leave more room for photos, but I will
share a few lingering impressions with you.
The emphasis on safety was impressive.
Holly made a statement to the effect of,
“Don’t make me get involved in your racing.”
I don’t believe he ever had to.
The long parade of beautifully finished
airplanes that were brought out for each race
was awe-inspiring. The only exception was
Tom Keating’s Unlimited primer-coated
model; the finish was smooth and slippery,
but it was the result of an unfortunate case of
Working-for-a-Living Syndrome cutting into
modeling time. Tom finished third in
Unlimited.
The sound and fury of five Unlimitedclass
airplanes diving toward the start line and
turning into the first pylon turn is gripping.
Ken McSpadden’s super-fast GR-7, which
was just an orange flash as it passed the startfinish
line, rests firmly in my memory.
The closeness of the racing in Dominator
kept me on the edge of my seat. Yet the
whole time the competitors’ smiles and
friendliness toward everyone, including
each other, reminded me that they are
having a lot of fun.
The sound of Fred French’s engine as his
Unlimited-class-winning NA-50 stormed
down the front straight was absolutely
incredible. Fred’s receiving a kiss from caller
Lynda at the end of each race put the icing on
the cake. They are nice people and set a great
example of togetherness for all of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the
sponsors of this race, which include Zenoah
engines, JR radios, Horizon Hobby, USRA
Racing, Fly RC magazine, California
Research Tabulations, Inc., APC propellers,
RCATS systems, Tru-Turn spinners, and
Great Planes Manufacturing.
The sponsors provided hardware and great
cash prizes to the race winners. Cash prizes
add much more to the zest of racing these
pilots feel—especially if they receive one.
I can present only a few photos with this
article. The only “problem” with our
digital-photography age is the ease of
taking many pictures.
In the next several weeks I will have
finished reviewing and posting 800-1,000
photos to my photo Web site: http://public.
fotki.com/benlanterman. Please drop by
and visit. If you own one of the airplanes
in the photos, please feel free to contact
me. MA
Ben
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 33,34,35,36,37,39
Racing Over Rantoul
October 2006 33
BY BEN LANTERMAN
Fred French’s number 17 overtakes Tom Easterday’s number-18 racer in an Unlimited
race. Fred’s higher-drag model’s engine is turning noticeably faster.
Jerry Bradley’s smooth-flying number-8 GR-7
dips a wing. The 26-pound composite model
spans 129.5 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
DURING THE warm summer days of June
22-25, 2006, Rantoul, Illinois, became the site
of some great RC Giant Scale racing. It hosted
one of the Unlimited Scale Racing
Association 2006 World Championship Series
races. You can find the locations and dates of
all the races in the series at www.usrainfo.org.
However, before I write about the racing I
must mention some nice people at Horizon
Hobby for their kindness while my wife
Bonnie and I were visiting Rantoul. Thanks to
Kim Rix for her gracious and enthusiastic
help during the race.
Thanks to Steve Goodreau, Horizon’s
publicity and media planner, for all the things
he did to make us feel at home. And thanks to
Horizon photographer Steve Hale for his
friendliness and for being great company; for
three days we shared a bale of hay in the
observer-helper’s bunker.
Bonnie and I were delighted with the
friendliness these people showed us and their
offers of help during the weekend. If the
Horizon Hobby people wanted us to go away
with a warm feeling, they indeed achieved
their goal. The company has many nice
Giant Scale racing is
a thriller, and the
2006 USRA World
Championship Series
has only just begun
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:50 AM Page 3334 MODEL AVIATION
Jeff Powell holds the world record of 1:23:45 for Formula 1 racing. His fastest time during
this race was a blistering 1:24.44!
Peter Goldsmith’s Miss Ashley is being fired up for another heat. The racing teams
followed consistent procedures and used enough manpower to assure that the models
were always handled safely.
David Pane releases Peter Goldsmith’s number -23 Kelly F1
pounds and is powered by a Zenoah GT-80.
Dean Cranston’s number-21 Dominator won the Dominator event. This class uses the lowcost
Lanier design with a fairly limited engine choice. The similarity of the equipment
assures some of the closest races during an event.
people working for it; you should give its
products a look.
Many years ago, in the prehistoric times
when cameras used film, I attended one of
the early Giant Scale racing events. I still
have enlarged photos from that event on my
basement hobby-room wall. The airplanes
still look great, but I had forgotten the sounds
and feelings of speed that should be part of
the memories of the race.
When I realized that Rantoul was just a
short day’s drive from my home in Saint
Charles, Missouri, and since I have
converted to digital photography, I decided
to take another look at this part of our great
sport.
If you get a chance to go to one of these
races and don’t, you will have missed one of
the most exciting events aeromodeling has to
offer. The Giant Scale races are the closest
thing to IndyCar racing our sport provides. If
you like nice people, beautiful airplanes, the
noise of big engines running flat out with no
mufflers and speed (and, deep down, who
doesn’t?), these races are for you.
Rantoul, Illinois, is the home of The
Rantoul National Aviation Center and
Airport Facility, which was previously the
Chanute Air Force Base. The location is
perfect for these races because it has a huge
hangar for safely storing assembled airplanes
and equipment at night; a gigantic concrete
apron for parking, tents, and trailers; and,
best of all, a full-scale-sized runway for
takeoffs and landings (with no rough weeds
and rocks to run out on).
The race was ably directed by Peter
Bergstrom: the product development
manager for JR radios and engines at
Horizon Hobby. He has a wealth of
experience with all kinds of modeling
activities, and with his guidance the contest
proceeded smoothly during the three days.
I don’t think I ever saw Peter without a
bit of a smile on his face that weekend. As all
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:52 AM Page 34October 2006 35
Mark Zeal’s beautiful green number-27 Polecat was easy to pick out against any color sky.
He has been racing for four years and finished second in the F1-GT Gold race.
Tom Easterday’s number-18 “Always Something” Unlimited racer lifts off. Tom had zero
times in the first two rounds but came back strong in the final rounds for a great finish.
The number-44 Black Flame Stiletto—campaigned by Tim
Sparks—had promise to be a serious racer but suffered damage
resulting from a hard belly landing.
Racing Over Rantoul Scores
Dominator Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Dean Cranston*21*2:07.03
2. Michael Moyers*49*2:07.20
3. Roger Bailey*4*2:17.16
4. Scott Pope*777*2:21.57
5. Oscar Slaughter*4x*0:00.00
Formula 1 GT Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Robert Vess*42*1:48.55
2. Mark Zeal*27*1:49.76
3. David Payne*98*1:53.31
4. Denny Baker*690*1:53.52
5. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:57.64
Formula 1 GT Silver Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Joe Rafalowski*55x*1:50.44
2. David Payne*98*1:52.97
3. Archie Snider*11*2:00.09
4. Tim Sparks*14a*2:00.36
5. Jake Hanbury*1*2:08.44
Formula 1 Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Ken McSpadden*19*1:24:33
2. Jeff Powell*10*1:28.74
3. Tom Easterday*18*1:31.80
4. Mike McConville*81*1:31:80
5. Fred Sargent*76*1:45.33
Unlimited Gold Heat
Place/Pilot*Tail Number*Official Time
1. Fred French*17*1:17.97
2. Tom Easterday*18*1:32.92
3. Tom Keating*19*1:32.97
4. Peter Goldsmith*23*1:34.12
5. Dave Smith*99*0:00.00
Photos by the author
h’s number -23 Kelly F1-GT for another heat. The sleek and curvy racer weighs 27
GT-80.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 8:53 AM Page 3536 MODEL AVIATION
Safety Inspector Holly Hollingsworth and pilot Dave Smith are in the safety
checkout area while testing the flight control functions.
Ray Thompson’s number-55 Cassutt is one of the oldest
fiberglass, Zenoah GT-80-powered model weighs 28 pounds
Airplanes, pilots, and pit crews prepare for an Unlimited heat.
The AstroTurf was rescued from an athletic field and put to much
more sensible use.
Paul Towkach’s F1-GT GR-7 corrects for wind on landing after a
heat race. The bright-pink paint makes it easy to locate the
model among others on the course.
Ken McSpadden leads Tom Easterday in the Formula 1 Gold finals. Ken went on to win the event even though Tom’s airplane was
roughly four seconds faster.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:00 AM Page 36October 2006 37
Fred Sargent’s number-76 GR-7 finished fifth in Formula 1. The 28-pound model has
been racing since 1997—a testament to Fred’s flying skills and the strength of the allcomposite
construction.
Mike McConville’s number-81 Formula 1 entry: a GR-7 weighing 27.5 pounds and spanning
131 inches. Mike flew his model to a fourth-place finish.
Keith Keoppel built Fred French’s Unlimited-winning Aero Sport NA-50. Fred used a Super Cool 21 x 26 carbon-fiber propeller
mated to an Aerrow 200 engine running on Ritch’s Brew 10%-nitro fuel. The NA-50 has been referred to as an “export fighter
version of the AT-6 Texan.”
people associated with this race seemed to be,
he was having fun.
Holly Hollingsworth was the race’s line
director. His knowledge of racing activities
allows him to run an efficient and safe
flightline. The sound and fury on a Giant Scale
racing flightline when all engines are running
means that great care must be taken at all
times.
All fliers, helpers, and photographers on
the flightline need to be able to look toward
one person for direction. Holly filled that
position nicely with zero fuss. I would feel
safer standing next to a pilot’s station during
this race than anywhere at many flying fields I
have visited. (My home club’s—the Boeing
Phantom Flyers’—site is an exception, of
course.)
I haven’t mentioned the other personnel
involved in the race, but I am not ignoring
them; there are just too many to name. They
weren’t seen or heard from, but they were
necessary and truly appreciated by the racers.
It requires good people to be spotters for
each racer at each pylon, to work the timing
equipment, to set the hay bales for safety
of the oldest
hs 28 pounds
Formula 1 designs still flying. The wood-andand
is finished with paint and MonoKote.
10sig2.QXD 8/24/06 9:13 AM Page 37barriers, to tabulate the scoring, to provide
food and drinks, and to do the dozens of jobs
I don’t know about but are crucial for a
smooth race. Each racer, spectator, and I owe
all those people a “thank you” for jobs well
done.
The races at Rantoul included Dominator,
Formula 1 GT (F1-GT), Formula 1, and
Unlimited classes. Unfortunately there
weren’t enough entries to have the biplane
race. You can find the specifications for each
class on the USRA Web page. This
interesting site also includes some history,
dates of upcoming races, and other
information of racing interest.
Five rounds were contested for each class.
A final race in each division determined the
winners. The participants in each race were
the fastest competitors during the preliminary
rounds. Additionally, there was a Gold and
Silver race final in the popular F1-GT and
Formula 1 classes.
The warm weather varied from clear to
cloudy and was never a factor in the racing.
What was a factor was how fast those
marvelous racing machines could be flown
around the racecourse.
All the races started with “flying starts,”
which places a great deal of emphasis on
pilot-caller communication and timing. A
large digital clock across the runway along
the start-finish line gives a running
countdown to the start of the race.
The caller must relay the countdown to
the pilot, who is already busy trying to
position his or her airplane perfectly to
achieve the top speed just as it reaches the
start line precisely when the clock reaches
zero. Having perfect coordination between
the caller and pilot at the start can make
the difference between winning or having
just another good attempt.
I won’t cover individual races since I want
to leave more room for photos, but I will
share a few lingering impressions with you.
The emphasis on safety was impressive.
Holly made a statement to the effect of,
“Don’t make me get involved in your racing.”
I don’t believe he ever had to.
The long parade of beautifully finished
airplanes that were brought out for each race
was awe-inspiring. The only exception was
Tom Keating’s Unlimited primer-coated
model; the finish was smooth and slippery,
but it was the result of an unfortunate case of
Working-for-a-Living Syndrome cutting into
modeling time. Tom finished third in
Unlimited.
The sound and fury of five Unlimitedclass
airplanes diving toward the start line and
turning into the first pylon turn is gripping.
Ken McSpadden’s super-fast GR-7, which
was just an orange flash as it passed the startfinish
line, rests firmly in my memory.
The closeness of the racing in Dominator
kept me on the edge of my seat. Yet the
whole time the competitors’ smiles and
friendliness toward everyone, including
each other, reminded me that they are
having a lot of fun.
The sound of Fred French’s engine as his
Unlimited-class-winning NA-50 stormed
down the front straight was absolutely
incredible. Fred’s receiving a kiss from caller
Lynda at the end of each race put the icing on
the cake. They are nice people and set a great
example of togetherness for all of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the
sponsors of this race, which include Zenoah
engines, JR radios, Horizon Hobby, USRA
Racing, Fly RC magazine, California
Research Tabulations, Inc., APC propellers,
RCATS systems, Tru-Turn spinners, and
Great Planes Manufacturing.
The sponsors provided hardware and great
cash prizes to the race winners. Cash prizes
add much more to the zest of racing these
pilots feel—especially if they receive one.
I can present only a few photos with this
article. The only “problem” with our
digital-photography age is the ease of
taking many pictures.
In the next several weeks I will have
finished reviewing and posting 800-1,000
photos to my photo Web site: http://public.
fotki.com/benlanterman. Please drop by
and visit. If you own one of the airplanes
in the photos, please feel free to contact
me. MA
Ben