1986 Nats: CL 1986 Nats: CL Combat
COMBAT was flown on Saturday morning at the Nationals this year. It's true that other Combat events were flown during the week, but the heart and soul of the event appeared during a three-hour period on Saturday. It was so hot during Combat Week that those of us in attendance may have had our memories seared by the heat, so this report will deal with high points of each event rather than a chronological sequence of events. The event site was within a block of the Nats AMA HQ and was very nice grass with lots of room for official flying and testing. There was no rain, barely any wind, and the temperature and humidity were bath worse than expected. Official high temperatures were in the 90s, but on-site air temperature went as high as 108 degrees in the shade over grass! The high temperatures wore every one out, affected engine runs, and shortened tempers. It was the sort of negative incentive that makes everyone want to just "get it over with," rather than to appreciate all that a National event can be. Each winner received a trophy and an "I survived Lake Charles"
Control Line: Combat
TOP TWENTY. Every year the Miniature Aircraft Combat Association (MACA) compiles a list of the top 20 Combat pilots in the U.S.A. The list is made up of MACA members only, so it requires sifting through a lot of contest results in order to eliminate winners who are non-MACA (if there are any such to be found). Many of us had recommended including non-MACA fliers in the Top 20, but the MACA membership has voted against the idea time after time. I'm in favor of giving credit where it's due, even if someone places on the list without being a MACA member (but we'll probably spell your name wrong, anyway).
Control Line: Combat
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA will have its own version of the famous Bladder Grabber Combat meet. As with the original, the copy will be a triple-elimination Fast Combat tournament with some big time prizes. A cash award of $1,000 is planned for first place, a Carver stereo for second, and a Hoffelt .36R for third. The meet is scheduled for early April when the weather here is great, and all the students will be getting out for Easter break. The Whittier Narrows flying site is nice for a meet though not much to see in the way of tourism, but Disneyland and many other attractions are close by for the wife and kids (should they want to come on the vacation, too). Rich Lopez, Chuck Rudner, and Steve Hills are the three principal organizers of the meet along with many of the local helpers like me. As I write this we don't have flyers printed yet, but I'll be glad to send you one as soon as they're out.
Control Line: Combat
THE NATIONALS will be held this summer in Lincoln, NE. The site is very nice, with Combat having "center stage" next to AMA HQ and all incoming traffic. After the rather dismal turnout of entrants at the last Nats we should all look at this as a must attend sort of thing. Everyone in Combat needs to either enter or help. Judy Curtis will be the Event Director this year and has asked for as much help as she can get in order to make things run smoothly. How about flying three Combat events and helping with the fourth? Check with Judy or AMA about volunteer work.
Control Line: Combat
TOPS. The MACA Top Twenty was recently announced for the 1986 competition year. Tom Fluker, Sr. compiled the results of 157 competitors that placed in the 68 contests which reported results. Top 20 Overall Points Standings 1. Richard Stubblefield, Texas, 147 pt. 2. Michael Willcox, Texas, 126 pt. 3. Don Cranfill, Texas, 125 pt. 4. Jerry Sabin, Illinois, 121 pt. 5. Ed Brzys, Michigan, 107 pt. 6. Chris Gay, Illinois, 104 pt. 7. Bob Nicks, N. Carolina, 79 pt. 8. (No one listed) 9. Steve Kott, Michigan, 74 pt. 10. Pat Willcox, Texas, 74 pt. 11. Joe McKinzie, Texas, 63 pt. 12. Paul Curtis, Florida, 59 pt. 13. Marvin Denny, Kansas, 58 pt. 14. Richard King, Texas, 57 pt. 15. John Stubblefield, Texas, 57 pt. 16. Bob Oge, Illinois, 56 pt. 17. John Salvin, California, 51 pt. 18. Mel Lyne, Canada, 47 pt. 19. Jeff Johnson, N. Dakota, 44 pt. 20. Jerry Capuano, Arizona, 42 pt.
