Scale Championships - 2008/02

Scale Championships

By Stan Alexander

The U.S. team selection for the 2008 Scale World Championships paid out big money. This new contest was open only to AMA members. FAI scale, aerobatics, soaring, free flight, etc., are flown around the world, and contestants who make the team that participates in the World Championships have reached the pinnacle of FAI scale competition in the U.S.

The American team will travel to Wloclawek, Poland, in July to represent the country, AMA, the members' clubs, and their hometowns. It's a great honor to compete in this international mix for gold, silver, and bronze medals and other individual and team awards.

AMA has wanted a stand-alone team selection for some time. In recent years the U.S. FAI Scale team has been determined at the Nats, with a fair amount of competitors. Much of the participation at the team selection depends on where the World Championships will be held the following year—there was better than average turnout when the event was in Canada.

The first biennial USA FAI Scale Championships was held the weekend of September 20–23 at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. The event offered a $10,000 prize purse, made possible by a generous gift to FAI Scale. A total of $5,000 per class—F4B (CL Scale) and F4C (RC Scale)—was distributed at the end of the competition.

Static judging was held Thursday after check-in at the L-Pad pavilion on the AMA site. F4B and F4C classes were scored there by three teams of judges.

Rules and Judging

The FAI scale flight rules are similar to many types of AMA scale competition, which raises questions about the stigma some U.S. modelers attach to FAI scale. The main difference is the K (difficulty) factors in flight and static scoring. K factors are weighted so competitors are rewarded more for difficult maneuvers such as takeoff, landing, or figure eight. A judge's score is multiplied by the K factor for that maneuver (for example, an 8 for a takeoff with a K factor of 9 yields 72.00 points). Many contestants practice takeoff and landing rigorously to maximize these scores.

In RC scale you may take off into the wind as long as it does not create a safety problem. There are never more than two airplanes in the air at the same time—usually only one—except at very large contests.

Static judging is where the main difference between FAI and AMA scale appears. You must prove your work: while you're allowed to compete with three photos of the full-scale aircraft, you typically need many more to place. Presenting three-views, paint chips, and clear documentation makes it easier for judges to evaluate your craftsmanship. Paint chips are available from many sources, including federal government suppliers; ensure your documentation is easy to follow and that paint chips are properly documented and stamped for authenticity.

Notable Competitors and Models

• Richard Schneider — J-3 Cub (clipped-wing aerobatic version)
• Span: 56 inches
• Power: Enya .46 four-stroke engine
• Covering/finish: Coverite polyester fabric, Nelson paint
• Result: Third place and a spot on the team

• Chuck Snyder — Henschel Hs 129B-2/R2 ("tank buster")
• Construction: Fiberglass mold fuselage; foam-core wing covered with balsa and fiberglass
• Dimensions: 56 inches long, 76-inch span
• Power: Two Thunder Tiger .46 engines with 12x5 Zinger propellers
• Finish: Mixed epoxy paints (K&B, Hobby Poxy, Klass Kote) matched to paint chips
• Result: Silver medal and a place on the team

• Dale Campbell — Spacewalker
• Notes: Built from his own scale drawings; extensive documentation and photos of the full-scale aircraft
• Approach: Flies his contest model regularly; strong planning and practice
• Result: First place; donated his winnings to the FAI Scale Team Fund

In F4C:

• Al Kretz — Douglas SBD Dauntless
• Span: 85 inches
• Construction/finish: Built-up structure, covered with fiberglass, painted with automotive paint; plans by Jerry Bates
• Features: Sliding canopies, retracts, flaps, dive brakes, bomb drop, full cockpit detail (down to the floorboards)
• Power: O.S. 1.60 engine with Tatone muffler
• Result: Bronze medal and the third spot on the team

• Jack Buckley — de Havilland Tiger Moth (1/4 scale)
• Span: 88 inches
• Power: Laser 1.50 four-stroke engine (Great Britain)
• Radio: JR X9303
• Covering/finish: Stits covering and paint
• Result: Second place (by less than 40 points)

• Dave Johnson — Albatros (1/3 scale)
• Span: 118 inches; length: 100 inches
• Power: Zenoah G-62 engine
• Covering: Sig Koverall
• Notes: Flew slowly; used a homemade 28x8 propeller
• Result: First place in F4C, $2,000 prize, and a place on the team

Team Support and Future Events

Congratulations to all competitors and team members. If you're interested in assisting the team or contributing in any way, contact Lisa Johnson at AMA Headquarters. A trip to Poland would be a great experience—support the team and consider going. Check the NASA website for team updates.

The next USA FAI Scale Championships will take place in 2009 (site to be determined). It's rumored that the 2010 Scale World Championships will be held in Australia; more information should be available next spring.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to those who worked at the team trials, including:

• Mike Welshans — F4B Event Director
• Jim Rediske — F4C Event Director
• Narve Jensen — Scale Subcommittee Chairman
• Bonnie Rediske
• Fred Gregg
• George Buso
• Steve Buso
• Mike Gretz — Scale Team Selection Committee Chairman
• Jim Cherry — AMA Executive Director (for joining us at the competition)

Sponsors

• Brodak Manufacturing Inc.
• Airborne Media
• Dynamic Balsa
• Midwest Products
• WWI Aero / SKYWAYS
• PrecisionCutKits.com
• Micro Fasteners
• Futaba
• Master Airscrew
• NASA (National Association of Scale Aeromodellers)

Contact and Sources

Stan Alexander [email protected]

Sources:

• Lisa Johnson — (765) 287-1256, ext. 231, [email protected]
• National Association of Scale Aeromodellers — www.nasascale.org

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