Author: Stan Alexander

Edition: Model Aviation - 2000/12
Page Numbers: 35, 36, 37, 38, 39
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RADIO CONTROL SCALE

Stan Alexander, 3709 Valley Ridge Dr., Nashville TN 37211; E-mail: [email protected]

Event overview

Modelers like to fly. It doesn't matter if the airplanes are ugly sticks or museum-scale warbirds. During the 2000 Radio Control (RC) Scale National Championships, we saw quite a few types of aircraft in the pits and in the air.

A smorgasbord of classes was offered for the RC Scale modelers who attended the competition at the AMA flying site in Muncie, IN. From the event turnout—76 entries in all classes—it was evident that modelers have accepted this type of format.

Several contestants had two models so they could compete in different classes. Event director Dale Arvin contends that Scale modelers want to fly more at the contests they attend. Having more than one model adds to the total number of flights they are able to make each day. Entering additional models gives pilots another chance to take home a trophy, and it gives them valuable practice in front of judges before their next flight.

Dale should know; he is Contest Director for one of the largest regional Scale meets in the country—the Mint Julep, hosted by the Southern Indiana R/C Modelers.

Scale classes are offered for novice pilots and experienced modelers. Blending these contestants at a national event helps encourage newcomers to join the ranks of Scale modelers and competitors. Many of the contestants, volunteers, and some of the sponsors have a chance to catch up on family and friends, and to check out that new model.

The social side of the event continues during the evening with seminars, and a banquet was held Saturday night. Special guests were AMA president Dave Brown and his wife Sally, and Nationals manager Ron Morgan and his wife Jane.

Fun Scale

The Fun Scale Novice event is designed for the first-time modeler or flier who wants to try Scale competition. You don't even have to build the aircraft; it can be an Almost Ready to Fly (ARF) or you can buy it at a hobby shop.

The static score for this event is as much as five points, and documentation can even be an artist painting from a plastic model box-top.

Winners:

  • 1st: Jack Conwell — F4U Corsair (score: 92.50)
  • 2nd: Gabriel Romero, El Paso, TX — P-51 Mustang (Gabriel and his wife drove three days to make the trek to Muncie)

An Expert version of Fun Scale is offered:

  • 1st (Expert Fun Scale): Joseph Lewis — CAP 232 (score: 96.00)
  • 2nd: Bob Viollet — turbine-powered F-4 Phantom (0.75 point behind)
  • 3rd: Jeremy Arvin — Sig CAP 232EX (with smoke option added to his flight routine)

Sportsman

Trip Galasso repeated last year's Sportsman-class win with his familiar bubble-top P-47 Thunderbolt. The big P-47 was powered by a G-62 and controlled by a Futaba radio.

Other top finishers:

  • 2nd: Mitchell Buckley — Extra 300L
  • 3rd: Joe Lewis — ducted-fan F-86
  • 4th: Michael Gardner — Spacewalker (first Nationals)

In Sportsman class, a modeler competes against others who have similar building and piloting skills—as in Expert class. Trip Galasso has roughly one contest left before he makes the jump into Expert.

FAI F4 Scale (F4B and F4C)

Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) F4 Scale is divided into two classes: F4B and F4C.

Steve Sanger competed in F4B (the Control Line Scale event) and F4C this year, taking top static honors with both of his models in their respective classes. He also took home the first-place trophy in F4C, flying his Fairchild 24.

Last year Steve competed to be on the Scale team that went to Switzerland, but mechanical problems kept him out of the first three places.

Scale team member Hal Parent brought his backup model—a Cessna Skymaster—and finished second in F4C. It was heartbreaking to see this model go in on the last flight Sunday because of radio failure. John Buckley rounded out the top three with his Nieuport 28.

Team Scale

The Team Scale event seems to gain popularity each year.

  • 1st: Pilot Dave Pinegar and builder George Mariona — Tu-4 (Russian copy of the Boeing B-29). The scratch-built 115-inch-wingspan model weighed 27 pounds and was covered with aluminum tape. The Tu-4 was powered by four electric MaxCim brushless motors. Each motor had its own controller and 12-cell battery pack. Flights are roughly eight minutes, which takes roughly 70% of the battery capacity. Airtronics donated a six-channel radio for the winner of this class. To my knowledge, this was the first aircraft with electric motors to win an RC Scale class at the Nationals.
  • 2nd: Pilot Dave Patrick and builder Graeme Mears — de Havilland Tiger Moth (noted for lots of scale detail)
  • 3rd: Pilot Greg Hahn and builder Tim Schurick — large OV-10 Bronco (one of the highest flight scores of the contest—a 93.75 in the third round)

Expert

Expert was the largest of all classes, with 20 entries.

  • 1st: Terry Nitsch — Bob Violett Models Rafale B.01 (twin-turbine-powered model). On the first flight, the 33-pound Rafale went off the end of the runway in a tight climb and then limped off the ground with only one engine. Terry managed to get it around the pattern and landed it safely.
  • 2nd: Charlie Nelson — Waco YKS cabin biplane (powered by a Seidel seven-cylinder radial engine, finished in an attractive paint scheme)
  • 3rd: Mike Barbee — 1/3-scale WACO (campaigning this model for approximately three years; model improved over time). Mike has tried a variety of engines, including a 125cc Italian model, but he prefers the performance of the 3W 100cc engine he currently uses. His yellow WACO had a 120-inch span and weighed 47 pounds.
  • 4th: Greg Hahn — SBD Dauntless (Atlantic submarine patrol colors). The 100-inch model had a Zenoah Z-445 Twin engine and a JR PCM 10 radio.

Another note: One landing went into the soft, wet grass, and the model had enough power to turn around, make it back up onto the asphalt, and taxi back to the flight station.

Third place (another Expert reference): Skip Mast — B-29 designed by George Mariona. Skip's model was powered by O.S. .40 FS engines, spanned 115 inches, and had flaps, retracts, and the bomb-drop option.

Designer Scale

One class prides itself not only on building and flying Scale models, but on the design process: Designer Scale.

  • 1st: Jeff Foley — own-design Bf 109E-3 (built using a variety of construction methods, including built-up and foam and fiberglass parts)
  • 2nd: Carl Pierson — own-design Beechcraft Bonanza V-35B (fresh from a win at the Mint Julep; finished with the popular PPG paint system; powered by a Zenoah G-62 engine; 112-inch span, 52 pounds; controlled by a JR 10SX radio system)
  • 3rd: Robert Patton — own-design T-34 (one of several great T-34s competing in different classes this year)

Sponsors

Sponsors had products for everyone this year—including the winners.

  • Pacer Technology-ZAP™ brought enough product that winners received organized Zap variety-pack boxes.
  • Wildcat Fuel provided fuel for glow engines during the weekend.
  • JR and Futaba contributed radio systems for the winners.
  • Top Flite® awarded its new Stinson SR-9 kit during the weekend.
  • Hangar 9 and NASA (National Association of Scale Aeromodelers) donated the raffle ARF PT-19 for the FAI Scale team.
  • Plans designer Jerry Bates contributed five plan sets—one for each class.

Other sponsors included: Bob Violett Models, Dave Platt Models, Don Smith Plans, Sea-Clusion Aeronautics plans, Flite-Metal aluminum covering system, Red Max Fuel, Ace R/C-Thunder Tiger, Williams Bros., Scale Model Research, Dave Brown Products, Dave Fogarty of the Dave & Dave Show, and Frank Tiano Enterprises.

Thanks to all of these generous sponsors.

Volunteers

Without the following volunteers, this event could not have happened:

  • Rae Underwood
  • Mary Arvin
  • Dolly Wischer
  • Ed Clayman
  • Bill Stewart
  • Ray and Christina Martin
  • Don Bartlett
  • Ed Terry
  • Bill Brucken
  • Clark MacComber
  • Earl Dever
  • Dave Bryant
  • Dave and Sally Brown
  • Jim and Bonnie Rediske
  • Jeremy Arvin
  • Hal and Flickie Winters
  • George Kite
  • Carol and Dick Schneider
  • Al and Carol Culver
  • Jim Nielson
  • Dave Fratello
  • Hal Parenti
  • Gary Parenti
  • Steve Sauger
  • Breu Baily
  • Chris Brownhill
  • John Guenther
  • Skip Mast
  • Mike Gretz
  • Bill Logan

Final notes

Next year's RC Scale events will be moved back one week on the calendar. Scale starts one week later at the Nationals, since the July 4 holiday is on Wednesday.

So start building now, buddy up with another modeler, and come to Muncie for some great flying and fun. MA

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