Radio Control Scale
Stan Alexander <[email protected]>
A detailed look at the 2006 RC Scale Nats
Event overview
The 80th Scale National Championships was held the first week in August. This Scale competition is held each year at the end of the Nats calendar. There are classes for any AMA member with a Scale model that has been tested and can fly adequately. Why the different classes? Holding the Scale Nats gives the rank novice the opportunity to pit next to and fly with the experts. It also allows the novice to fly against competitors who have similar experience. I touched on this in the November RC Scale column.
The Scale Nats started Thursday, August 3 with the Scale RC Indoor Classic held at Ball State University's Worthen Arena in Muncie, Indiana. This site's flying space is adequate for the small, indoor, electric-powered Scale models.
Many, including myself, hoped there would be an increase in the number of competitors this year, but attendance was roughly the same as in 2005. Later that week I talked to Bob Walker of Robart at the site, and he stated that every event he had attended had been down in attendance from 10%–25%; fuel prices were topping $3 a gallon in early August.
Static judging took place at Worthen Arena Friday as the outdoor FF portion of the Nats finished up at AMA's National Flying Site. With multiple judging lines this year it didn't take all day for the models to be processed. Event Director Jim Rediske worked all year at putting together a good crew for the competitors; his and his wife Bonnie's efforts are much appreciated.
Competitors and highlights
There were two new competitors this year: twins Jay Steward of Phoenix, Arizona, and Jack Steward of Faribault, Minnesota. Jack built a beautiful Nieuport 28 for Team Scale, and Jay flew a rarely modeled Curtiss F8C-4 Helldiver. It's not the World War II monoplane you might be thinking of, but the world's first production "dive bomber."
Friday evening everyone set up canopies and started practice-flying for the next two days' events. There is nothing prettier than Scale models flying during the twilight hours close to sunset. Later that night the local restaurants on McGalliard Road were full of Scale modelers and officials, catching up on others' families, the past year's activities, and what it cost them to get to the Nats this year.
The grounds at the AMA flying site were in great shape this year, and several pilots elected to take off and land their models in the grass. Even though the wind was light, models with a skid still preferred nice, short-cut grass. New canopies were in use this year, and everyone seemed to enjoy them.
Many people were asking what happened to Greg Hahn's B-25. It had a nose-gear collapse on landing on the second flight, and the two propellers were unsafe to use after that. There was no damage to the airplane, but the propellers were shot. "Usually when you do enough damage to destroy the props on a B-25, you can't fly it anymore," Greg told me. So that took him out of rounds three and four.
After the first two rounds of flight it looked like Hal Parenti had a good lead in Designer Scale and Dennis Crooks was in the lead in Expert with his P-38. Two of this year's winning aircraft weren't supposed to be at the Nats, including Dennis's P-38. That goes to show that modelers who fly their competition models usually do better with them!
Saturday night the Scale Nats group stayed at the field. It was a special time, and people enjoyed the circus-tent setup. There were burgers, brats, hot dogs, corn on the cob, desserts, etc. Those present ate their fill at this year's Nats banquet.
Special guests included Ron and Jane Morgan, Jay Mealy and his daughter, AMA District VIII Vice President Sandy Frank, and Dolly Wischer. Next year there will surely be two tents and two or three grills going. Bonnie Rediske organized all this and set it up for everyone at the Indoor, RC, and CL Scale Nats.
Shannon Ott had several prize packs, and raffles were held after everyone ate. Several modelers took the opportunity to put in some flights in calm air as the site cooled off for the day.
Sunday dawned another perfect day for the Nats. Many of the World War I modelers were wishing they could fly early and late in the day, but with a light wind it didn't make much difference.
Results
In Expert class the "Pumpkin Crew" of Futaba took first through fourth place with an unbroken string of competitors:
- 1st: Dennis Crooks — Expert National Champion (P-38)
- 2nd: Kim Foster — D.H.94 Moth Minor
- 3rd: Mike Barbee — 1/3-scale WACO
- 4th: Greg Hahn — B-25
The title of Designer Scale Champion went to veteran Scale competitor Hal Parenti with another version of his Ryan Fireball. Hal has built several of these models over the years; sticking with the same design seems to pay off.
Designer Scale placings:
- 1st: Hal Parenti — Ryan Fireball
- 2nd: Dick Konkle — Aeronca Champ (1/3 scale)
- 3rd: Dave Johnson — Albatros D.III (1/3 scale, powered by a G-62 engine)
Team Scale continues to gain dedicated builders who want great pilots to fly their models. Builder George Maiorana has swept almost every event he has entered with his Tu-4 "Bull" — a Russian copy of the American Boeing B-29. Dave Pinegar flew the electric-powered veteran model.
George is working on something new: a little Tu-95 turboprop model. I hope to see it at the Toledo Show in the spring.
Brothers Jay and Jack Steward built and flew the Nieuport 28 to a second-place finish in Team Scale. Father-and-son team Dale and Jeremy Arvin finished in third place with their SNJ built from a Yellow Aircraft kit.
Sportsman class is for Scale modelers who are working with documentation for the first couple years and learning the flight routines. Art Shelton graduated to Expert class this year with his Fokker E.I and eventually finished sixth in his first time out.
Sportsman placings:
- 1st: William Thompson — Balsa USA Sopwith Pup
- 2nd: Kevin Knebel — Stearman (Flair kit, covered with Monokote)
- 3rd: Tom Poole — Piper Tri-Pacer
Fun Scale Open has become one of the most popular classes in Scale competition. Bring your ARFs, models that you may have bought, etc. Mark Lanterman was stunned when his name was called as this year's Fun Scale Open National Champion.
Fun Scale Open placings:
- 1st: Mark Lanterman — Great Planes Shoestring racer
- 2nd: Jeremy Arvin — Extra 330L
- 3rd: Greg Hahn — electric-powered B-25 (to be a new Great Planes kit)
Sponsors and thanks
Thanks to all the Scale Nats supporters, which include:
- Platinum sponsors:
- Pacer Technology
- Airborne Media
- The Aeroplane Works
- Great Planes
- Sig Manufacturing
- Gold sponsors:
- Balsa USA
- Brodak Manufacturing
- Jack Stafford Models
- Silver sponsors:
- RC Report
- FMA Direct
- Precision Cut Kits
- Nick Ziroli Plans
- Bronze sponsors:
- Bob Barka's Aircraft Documentation
- Vintage RC Plans
- Master Airscrew
- Northeast Screen Graphics
- Micro Fasteners
- Dynamic Balsa
- SR Batteries
- Lone Star Models
Bonnie Rediske wanted to thank the Grill Crew:
- Ed Terry
- Bill Brucken
- Mike Gretz
Shucking a few hundred ears of corn was a team effort, with help from:
- Paula Hass
- Jay Mealy
- Scott Christensen
- Judy Hemphill
Fair skies and tailwinds.
MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
