Free Flight: Old-Timers
THAT FABULOUS Brown Jr.: In a previous column we discussed the virtues of special events for a specific engine or model. Hardly sooner than that copy went to the editor, I received an announcement that Bud McNorgan was going to organize a "Brown-Powered" event for the coming season. Although not widely known, Bud was instrumental in activating the old-timer movement, and favors some of the old classics like the Dalliare Sportster. Flying a Brown-powered ship in this hopefully annual event would be great, but if you don't happen to own one of the 50,000 Brown Juniors produced during the later 1930's, you may be relegated to the role of a spectator. Of course, you could purchase a new Wahl-Brown Junior Custom Engine! I've been wanting to run an engine test and review on one of Herb's engines for some time, and Bud's contest announcement was all the encouragement I needed. I asked Herb for the loan of one of his engines for the test. The engine arrived promptly and from the very first moment I must say I was, and continued to be, highly impressed with what I saw and experienced.
Free Flight: Old-Timers
SPECIAL AWARDS: All of us enjoy recognition for our efforts, be it in special competitions or in our everyday lives. More and more contests are featuring special awards as an added attraction or interest builder. The '77 SAM Champs in Las Vegas included special awards in Electric Power, Twin Pusher Rubber, and Hightime by a DeLong .30. Such awards are usually "special" in that they differ from the standard awards in the form of sculptures or prized merchandise, and are coveted by their recipients.
Pack in the Turns
How to make a first-class winder from an ordinary hand drill.
7th Annual United States Free Flight Championships
TAFT! A word guaranteed to excite the most composed of free-flight enthusiasts. The United States Free Flight Championships, an AAAA meet, is claimed by many to be the ultimate in free-flight competition. Preparation for the Memorial Day Classic begins months before the magic weekend. Very few winners have come to Taft with untested models. The majority of the models entered show "seasoning" in the form of patches, new paint spots contrasting with faded finishes, and "handling rash." Flight testing, design alteration, experimentation with fuels, props, rubber or towing techniques, must all be sorted out in advance so that all that remains is a couple of test hops in local air.
Free Flight: Old-Timers
JUST returned from the last contest of the year here in the Northwest. Wonder what it would be like to have flying weather year round? Probably would lose its appeal after a while as we all tend to take things for granted, and then when would you do all your building? At least in a seasonal area you can plan in the fall, build in the winter, watch the wind blow in the spring and crash in the summer. At the aforementioned "Power Bash" put on by the Boeing Hawks the emphasis is on flying. Bash rules call for six official flights with any model. Of course AMA and Old-Timer are separate categories. Six flights calls for consistency and reliability and can take most of a day just for this one event. Everyone has a good time and merchandise prizes are awarded clear through last place! It's a great change of pace.
