44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/08
Page Numbers: 44,45,46,47,48,50,52
44 MODEL AVIATION
championships XVIII
he 18th edition of the Vintage Stunt
Championships (VSC) took place March
15-18, 2006, at Christopher Columbus
Park in Tucson, Arizona. This was the
16th trip I have made to compete in
this annual classic.
I missed the first VSC, which was held at
the Whittier Narrows field in California, and
I missed last year’s event because of a
severe kidney stone. To say I was eager to
get back to the desert for a week of flying
fun would be a monumental understatement!
For those who are a part of the extended
VSC family the event has become much
more than just a model-airplane contest. It is a
virtual mecca for all who love the designs of
CL Precision Aerobatics’ (Stunt’s) past, and it is
a respite from the realities of “modern” life. A
week at a VSC is like taking a trip in a time machine
back to a simpler, perhaps more friendly, era.
Started by Mike and JoAnn Keville in 1989, and now
administered by the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club of
Tucson, the VSC has grown to be an affair that lures modelers from around the world
and from all corners of the United States.
In fact, one of the best parts of the VSC experience for me for many years was the
road trip from the Northeast to Tucson. Bill Werwage and I made this trek 10 times in a
row in my venerable Chevy Astro Van (which now has 250,000 miles on it).
I would leave from my home in Stockertown (which is about as far east as you can go
in Pennsylvania) at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday evening and pick up Bill at his home
in Berea, Ohio, at roughly 3 a.m. Friday morning. Then we would drive straight through and
arrive in Tucson by mid-Saturday afternoon. We rested a full day before attempting to fly.
The trip gave us some time to talk about our airplanes, what we needed to work on in our
patterns, and an opportunity to begin psyching each other out. That was always the most fun
part with Billy. I usually lost, however.
This year Bill and I got smart and flew to the contest. Our good friends Warren and
Barbara Tiahrt invited us to stay in their gorgeous new home just north of Tucson. I want to
take a moment to thank them for their warm hospitality.
Most VSC attendees arrive as much as a week early to take advantage of the normally great
spring weather in the region. For most it is their first chance to do any significant practicing
after a long, cold winter.
by BOB HUNT
Warren Tiahrt’s Venus.
Lou Wolgast’s Dragonfly.
August 2006 45
Photos by Ken Budensiek
Keith Trostle launches the B-26.
Jim Tichy’s 1962 Ares.
Tom McClain’s massive B-26 Marauder
was impressive. It flew in Classic using two
Magnum .36XL engines for thrust.
Charlie Bruce (L) and Allen Brickhaus take a moment from the
fun to pose with Charlie’s OTS Ignition Foxy. Note the highaspect-
ratio design.
Below: Nine-time VSC Classic
Stunt winner Bill Werwage
intently scribes another
perfect maneuver with
his original-design
1962 Ares (inset).
Thursday evening of VSC week the Classic appearance judging is done at the Rodeway Inn
motel. It’s a time for socializing and taking photos.
Legendary CL figure Larry Scarinzi prepares to fuel his Red
Reinhardt-designed El Diablo. It’s covered in transparent dyed silk.
46 MODEL AVIATION
Wesley Dick fires up his Don Still-designed Stuka for a flight in
Old Time Stunt while Mike Scott holds.
Jeff Reeves traveled from Australia to compete in Classic with his
Bob Palmer-designed Thunderbird. His buddy Bob Whitely holds.
L: Ted Fancher reprised Lew
McFarland’s famous Ruffy design
and flew it in Classic using a
Merco Rustler .40 engine.
Mike Keville launches Bart Klapinski’s ill-fated OTS Fleet bipe.
The venerable model lost a wing during this practice flight.
Rusty Brown—a VSC fixture—carries his
Lou Andrews-designed Trixter Barnstormer
to the OTS flightline.
August 2006 47
Don Hutchinson demonstrates that Ignition OTS models take a bit more labor and love
to operate properly. He’s working on the Orwick .29 in his Yates Dragon.
48 MODEL AVIATION
Undaunted by his Fleet bipe’s wing-shedding incident, Bart
Klapinski flew Larry Foster’s Yates Madman design to finish first
in OTS. Mike Keville holds.
Japan’s Masaru Hiki cranks up the Brodak .40 in his Gieseke
Nobler for a top-five-placing flight in Classic. Jeff Reeves holds.
Bob Lipscomb’s fantastic replica of Dave Gierke’s Novi III won the
Concours award and the Best I-Beam trophy. It’s a work of art!
Gaylord Elling adjusts the needle valve on the engine in his All
Australian OTS entry. His brother Gregg holds.
However, this year the weather was cold and wet on the days just
before the meet. No problem! Everyone just took advantage of the
downtime to catch up on some hangar flying (read that: bull sessions).
The weather finally began cooperating by Monday morning, and
the five circles at the field were filled with fliers shaking down their
equipment. There are usually so many pilots trying to get in practice
flights that it is common to wait at least an hour between flights. This
lull in flying is a great time to visit with the competitors, shoot photos
of their airplanes, and ask questions about the model(s) they are flying.
One of the real treats at the VSC is seeing the obscure designs.
Many pilots get their kicks by finding models in the archives that have
never been flown at a VSC.
My old friend Jim Lee feels that way. Most of the time the more
unknown models are not all that competitive, but Jim has been able to
make them work well enough to win in many cases. That has to be
especially rewarding.
An even cursory description of each model flown at the VSC would
take dozens of magazine pages; there were 83 entries in the Old Time
Stunt (OTS) event, 97 in Classic Stunt, and 17 in Ignition OTS. This
was the largest VSC to date in terms of entries.
Everyone who attends one of these contests has his or her own
favorites in terms of designs and specific models. The airplanes I’m
about to describe in some detail were my favorites.
Among the rare designs seen this year, there were two that stopped
the show. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom McClain showed
up with an amazing B-26 Marauder that was originally published as an
RC Scale aircraft in Flying Models magazine in July 1969. It was
designed by Joe D’Amico.
Tom figured that built light enough and powered correctly, the
Marauder would be able to fly the Classic pattern as a CL
conversion—and he was right! A number of us were at the far end of
the field practicing when Tom made his first flight with the
monster Marauder, and we were amazed at the
aircraft’s mass and the relative ease with which it
did the vertical and overhead maneuvers.
Was the B-26 competitive in Classic? Well,
no, not really. But a number of us said almost
the same thing at almost the same instant when
we saw it fly; the gist was that it shows what
disk area will do. Tom powered his bomber
with two Randy Smith tuned Magnum .36
engines, each swinging an APC four-blade 10 x
6 propeller. Thrust was not a problem!
The model was a bit heavy, at
112 ounces on 850 square inches
of wing area. However, it was
still one of the most
impressive models ever
flown at a VSC.
I-Beam” award that is presented by noted IBeam
historian Fred Carnes. Models of this
caliber are rare, and Bob is to be heartily
congratulated for his effort.
There were dozens of other extremely
well-crafted and -finished models at the
event. Exemplary aircraft have become the
norm at the VSC, so to stand out from this
crowd you have to extend yourself. It seems
that the love of and reverence for these older
designs have driven craftsmanship to new
levels across the board. This is a good thing!
Jim Tichy built Bill Werwage’s 1962
Ares and painted it in a scheme reminiscent
of Ray Marlowe’s Pegasus design from
1956. Jim is well known for his beautifully
finished models, and the Ares he brought to
the VSC was one of his best. It flew well too,
powered by a RoJett .40 rear-exhaust engine.
The master himself—reigning CL
Aerobatics World Champion Bill
Werwage—was again present and again
flying his original 1962 Ares. This was the
fourth time he flew his metallic-green beauty
at the VSC, and the result was his fourth win
with this model and his ninth win overall.
Bill has won the Classic crown at half of the
VSCs that have been held!
The 1962 Ares was originally developed
to be powered by a new Johnson engine on
which Bill and Hi Johnson were
collaborating in the early 1960s. The engine
never did reach fruition in a form that Bill
found acceptable for competition, and the
1962 Ares never achieved the notoriety that
the smaller 1959 Ares enjoyed.
Bill tried flying the original 1962 Ares
with a Fox .35, but that just wasn’t enough
power to pull it competitively in his opinion.
Bill always felt that with a bit more power
the 1962 version would have been a superior
performer.
With the arrival of the Aero Tiger .36, a
suitable power match was finally found and
the larger Ares finally showed what it was
capable of. This is a popular design at the
VSC, and three were entered this year; Bill,
Jim Tichy, and Bob McDonald had greatflying
and beautiful versions of this sleek,
high-performance model.
If the unusual lights your fire, VSC CD
Lou Wolgast’s Classic entry will certainly be
of interest. He reprised John Triollo’s
unique-looking Dragonfly. It had special
meaning for me. As a young man I had the
privilege of watching John fly his original
Dragonfly at the 1961 AMA Nats in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania. I was part of his
cheering section!
John was a world-class FF Indoor
microfilm competitor. Stunt was just a
diversion for him, but his Dragonfly did get a
bit of notoriety when a three-view of it was
published in American Modeler magazine in
the early 1960s.
I’ve focused mostly on Classic aircraft,
but there were a few OTS surprises as well.
Retired Air Force Colonel Keith Trostle gave
his well-used Pagan a rest and flew a Russ
Snyder-designed Gambler this year. It is a
huge model powered with a SuperTigre .60.
The Gambler was actually built by
Keith’s buddy retired Air Force Colonel (lots
of Colonels at VSC, eh?) Frank McMillan.
The Gambler has more than 700 square
inches of wing area and weighs 53 ounces,
making it a lightly loaded model. With it
Keith placed second in OTS by a single
point.
Placing first by that one point was Bart
Klapinski, who had to go to a backup model
at the 11th hour. His venerable and heretofore
reliable Fleet biplane shed its upper wing in
a practice flight the day before the OTS
competition was due to start. He used Larry
Foster’s gorgeous Madman to win on his
second flight with a nearly perfect score!
Bart is resilient.
In the past few years at the VSC there has
been a strange shape in the air. If it were
Gotham City the sight might be looked upon
as normal, but in Tucson, Carl Shoup’s
version of Dale Kirn’s Belfry Bound draws
lots of attention! The model has a batlike
wing shape and a neat helmet cowling for the
side-mounted LA .40 engine.
A model with such extreme aesthetics
usually gives up something in performance,
but not this one. Carl’s OTS weapon is
lethal! All who have taken a turn at the
handle have declared that it is without doubt
the finest-flying OTS design they have
flown. His model flies so well that he uses it
in OTS and Classic competitions.
Two years ago Carl was confined to a
wheelchair following a severe motorcycle
accident, and he flew the Belfry Bound in the
Classic event in some high wind conditions.
He spun the left wheelchair wheel as
required with his left hand while flying with
his right hand. And his pattern was terrific!
The last model that appealed greatly to
me was Warren Tiahrt’s Venus that was
designed by Jim Ebejer. Jim won the Stunt
event in the Senior division at the 1952
Plymouth Internats.
This flapped model features an
extraordinarily long tail moment, which
allows the somewhat small horizontal
stabilizer and elevator to be efficient. This
airplane exhibits great turn properties while
looking extremely smooth in the air. It is a
great choice for OTS and Classic
competition.
Warren’s faithful replica of Jim’s aircraft
was the Concours winner at the 2005 VSC. It
is powered by an Aero Tiger .36 engine and
is beautifully finished with Randolph dope.
To see the dozens of these impressive
models, you’ll just have to make the trek to
Tucson next March and find your own
favorites.
The competition aspect of the VSC is
almost anticlimactic. I’ve often referred to it
as a contest where you’re allowed to try to
win, but it’s frowned upon. All kidding
aside, the real point of the VSC is not the
competition, but rather the celebration of
three eras of Stunt development and design
and the gathering of enthusiasts with the
same interests.
With such a large turnout, the days of
competition were long and the extremes of
weather were amazing. The desert can be
cold in the morning and calm. By afternoon
the temperatures can rise as many as 50˚ or
more, and the wind can become a significant
factor in flying accurate patterns. The judges
have a challenge to stay consistent and
focused while watching as many as 48
flights in a single round.
OTS and Ignition OTS are contested on
Wednesday and Thursday of VSC week,
with one flight each day. In OTS and Classic
the competitors perform one flight on one
circle on Day One and then another flight on
another circle on Day Two. The judges stayThe paved circles at the VSC have started
to deteriorate throughout the years. The town
had recently resurfaced them, but they still
badly needed sealing. It was surprising this
year to see that the two asphalt circles had
been sealed, and we found out that Bill and
Elaine Heyworth donated the funds to allow
it. I’m sure I speak for all competitors when I
extend our heartfelt thanks to the Heyworths
for this generous act.
Jim Kraft won the Ignition OTS event,
Bart Klapinski captured the OTS crown, and
Billy Werwage bested all comers in Classic
Stunt. If you want a complete listing of the
results (way too long to include here), please
go to the Cholla Choppers’ Web site at
www.ccmaconline.org.
All results are listed on the Web page,
along with many photos of the models and a
list of all those who helped make this event a
success. Cholla Choppers’ club treasurer and
VSC Assistant CD Robin Sizemore designs
and maintains the site.
On a sad note, Royal “Lucky” Pyatt, one
of Stunt’s dearest friends and most beloved
individuals, left us during the first week of
this year. His passing leaves a void in our
community that can never be filled.
He was consumed with the spirit of
goodwill and friendship, and he possessed a
smile that spoke volumes about what fun is all
about. To Lucky’s wife Rickii we offer what
she already knows: that he was a man without
enemies who made friends effortlessly.
In what has become an all-too-often
exercised tradition at the VSC and the AMA
Nats, a memorial ceremony was conducted
for Lucky. One of his models was set on the
flightline with the lines and handle attached,
and all the attendees were invited to file out
onto the circle and hold the control handle
and move the controls a couple of times.
Keith Trostle gave a moving eulogy, and
Rickii was on hand to receive hugs from her
extended modeling family. I think we all felt
Lucky’s spirit present at this VSC.
One of the major changes at the VSC in the
past few years has been the number of social
gatherings that take place in the evening.
Many fliers have moved to Tucson and have
homes that are in close proximity to the field
and the “official” motel. They have opened
their homes to the VSC family.
One now needs a social secretary (well,
almost) to keep track of the parties that are
held during the week. This year the first
gathering was Tuesday evening at Bill and
Elaine Heyworth’s beautiful home, which is
wonderfully decorated in a Southwestern
cowboy motif.
Each year Bill and Elaine try to come up
with something different in culinary fare,
and this year’s feature was Philly
cheesesteak sandwiches made to order. I felt
right at home since I live a short distance
from Philadelphia!
Wednesday evening found us at Rickii
Pyatt’s warm and friendly home, where we
were treated to an outstanding Mexican
buffet. There was also some entertainment at
that party provided by Bill Werwage on
guitar, accompanied by me.
Trying to keep up with Bill on guitar is
even more annoying than trying to catch him
on the Stunt scoreboard. His life’s work was
as a studio and performing artist on the
guitar. He has a large repertoire of cowboy
songs, and everyone sang along and seemed
to enjoy the show.
Friday evening there was an open house
at Keith and Barbara Trostle’s palatial new
home, where potluck fare was featured.
Believe me, no one went away hungry. Also
featured was an encore performance by the
Bill and Bob guitar duo. We are available for
weddings and private parties.
Sunday evening after the contest Bill and
Elaine Heyworth invited everyone who was
still in town to another feed at their home.
This time it was Italian with the largest
meatballs I’ve ever seen. Seriously, you
could have gone bowling with those things!
Clearly the opportunity to spend time
with others who have the same interests is as
much a draw as is the contest itself. And this
is ultimately what it is all about: friendship.
Thanks go out to those who extended
themselves and opened their homes and
hearts to us all.
The Saturday-night VSC banquet is now
52 MODEL AVIATION
the official ending of the VSC experience,
and all who won awards during the flying
portion of the event received their loot.
There are also many special awards handed
out during this evening. There are far too
many to list here, but a quick trip to the
aforementioned Web site will give you the
entire list of awards and recipients.
A special honor is the Bob Gialdini
Sportsmanship Award that is presented at
the VSC each year to one of the many who
work unselfishly behind the scenes for the
good of our beloved event and who receive
little or no recognition. This year’s award
went to the husband/wife team of Dale and
Linda Gleason. That it was a popular choice
was evident by the extended standing
ovation they received.
My personal thanks goes out to Mike
Keville for the painting he did of my
Genesis Extreme. It was published on the
cover of a recent issue of PAMPA’s
(Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots
Association’s) Stunt News. Mike presented
me with the original canvas at the banquet,
and it now hangs in a place of honor in my
home.
I would be remiss if I did not mention
the fantastic job Jim and Sharon Hoffman
do each year in organizing the banquet. The
food was great and the room was beautiful.
Nice job, you two!
A contest the size of the VSC does not
happen without many dedicated individuals
who give of their time and talents to ensure
a successful event. Please take a moment to
go to the Cholla Choppers Web site and
focus on the names of those who
volunteered. And when you see these people
on the field, please take a moment to thank
them. Without them the VSC would not
survive.
Heading up this outstanding crew of
volunteers is CD Lou Wolgast. His good
friend Robin Sizemore ably assists with that
task. Robin was presented a great T-shirt by
Eric Rule that carried the following
message: “We can blame everything on
Lou!” Sounds reasonable to me.
Please join us next year in March in the
desert. Tucson is beautiful that time of year
(well, it’s beautiful any time of year for that
matter), and the VSC is where it’s at if you
love vintage CL Aerobatics.
I’ll take this opportunity to thank my very
good friend Ken Budensiek for supplying
the photos for this article. His prowess with
a digital camera far exceeds mine, and he
graciously let us pick from the hundreds of
great images he took during the week in
Tucson. Ken has asked that the payment he
is due for these photos be donated to the
2006 F2B Team Fund. What a guy!
I also want to thank Elwyn Aud, Will
Hubin, and Rickii Pyatt for offering to let us
use some of their photos if needed. Ken’s
were all we used, but it was nice to have the
backup. It augments the point that this is a
giving and sharing modeling community! MA
Bob Hunt
[email protected]