Top Gun 2000
"I've worked and flown for 12 years to get here, and I still can't believe it."
That was the reaction of Jeff Foley (Roanoke Rapids, NC), who took top honors as Designer Scale winner and the cash and trophy for "Mr. Top Gun" at the Top Gun Invitational, held April 26–30 at the Palm Beach (FL) Polo and Country Club. Jeff jumped for joy when his name was called for the highest award presented.
About the Top Gun Invitational
The Top Gun Invitational is, well, different. As host Frank Tiano says, "without the spectators it isn't Top Gun." Top Gun caters to the spectators as well as scale modelers, manufacturers, and all types of media from all over the world.
Why has this event been held at a polo field for the last 10 years? Simple: the grandstands, and the attraction of thousands of spectators from all over the world.
For the contestants, having a super-smooth grass surface to fly from lessens the tension of flying in front of such a large crowd. Spectators can also purchase pit passes that allow them to take a close look at the models and talk to the contestants.
Take the facility, add key sponsors Pacer Technology and Model Airplane News, seasoned promotional work, highly competitive modelers, beautiful scale models, a daily halftime show, a Delta Dart flyoff, and cash prizes, and it adds up to an event that spectators love to come and watch, year after year.
But this year Top Gun celebrated its 12th and probably final year at the Polo Club. Ownership changes at the Polo Club, business practices, and continued population growth in the immediate area are primary reasons for Mr. Tiano to investigate other sites in Florida.
A 150-foot-tall microwave tower was added this year, placed directly behind the scoreboard at the end of the field. Almost everyone thought that the pole could be missed; on Thursday, two modelers found out that the pole was more like a tree and RC models: they sort of went out to reach out and touch each other.
Event schedule and format
Top Gun officially starts on Thursday, with static judging for Expert, Designer Scale, and Team Scale judged at separate stations near the front edge of the pits. Practice flying for pilots new to the field begins on Wednesday and continues through Friday.
There was a noticeable increase in spectators on Friday, and on Saturday the pits and grandstand area were packed as flight competition began. Cheers and applause for pilots who saved a model with a sick engine or made an exceptional landing—they were great confidence-builders for the contestants.
How the spectators are accommodated, fed, and kept entertained is another facet of Top Gun. The grandstands, restroom facilities, and great food vendors are other elements. If there is a lull in the action, announcers keep the crowd informed of the basic who, what, and when, as well as a little aviation history.
Notable aircraft and builders
One new aircraft stood out because of its size, the fact that it doesn't have a rear fuselage, and because it is an amphibian.
- Sikorsky S-39B — built by Stennis French. The S-39B was truly amazing. Weighing in at 45 pounds, it was powered by a B&D 5.1 engine, and had documentation Stennis found at the New England Aviation Museum in Hartford, CT. The main landing gear is retractable, and the shocks are fully functional. Designed from Paul Matt three-views, the fuselage is constructed from fiberglass and foam. The wing uses more-traditional construction techniques, with balsa and plywood. The S-39 is painted with dope and took three years to build.
- Fokker E.V — built by Tom Kosewski. Tom came to his second Top Gun with his Fokker E.V. The parasol fighter was active late in WWI and heralded the next generation of fighter aircraft. Tom designed his model from documentation obtained from Dan San Abbott. This design may be offered as a kit from Glen Torrence Models. The varied paint schemes of these aircraft are always as interesting as the methods of application. Tom covered the model with Sig Koverall, then sprayed the four-color lozenge paint scheme using Mylar® panels to mask off the other colors. He had the latex paint mixed at Lowe's per his color documentation. After finishing the lozenge paint and markings, he covered the model with a coat of dope to give it a semigloss "factory" finish.
- MiG-19 — flown by Jim Hiller and built by Tad Kiznowski. The scratch-built model was completed in Pakistani Air Force colors, with landing gear designed and constructed by Tad. Mechanical problems with the elevator caused its premature demise.
- D.H. Tiger Moth — brought by Mike Winter. He joked that the model had been around for 20 years. His Tiger Moth looked fantastic with its new red paint scheme. All controls were per the prototype, using cables and turnbuckles.
Competition highlights
Flight competition started on Saturday. After two rounds, it seemed that Greg Hahn had the top spot in Expert in hand, with flight times of 2:09 and 2:12 for 412 total points. Rich Uravitch was 25th in Expert. Bob Benjamin's 1/4-scale Taylorcraft was the first electric-powered model to finish in the top 10 (fifth in Designer) at Top Gun.
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Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
