This year s Free Flight Nats began

Transcription

1 July 28 Free Flight Joe Williams (PA) winds his veteran Moffett Rubber model, also a past Nats winner. It does fly better with the wing on. David Mills photo.

2 Free Flight This year s Free Flight Nats began with a bit more pre-drama than usual. The Muncie area was inundated with rain for several weeks, and six large ponds were on the field, promising wet challenges for the fliers. Fortunately, all but two had drained off by Free Flight week, although leaving several very boggy areas. These promised soft, but messy, landings for our models. This week s weather promises to be good for Free Flight. Temperatures will be moderate for the most part daytime temperatures in the 80s with nighttime temperatures lowering into the mid-60s, allowing peaceful slumbers for the campers. Spotty rain showers are forecast for the week. I hope the 200-odd contestants on site have little in the way of weather to fret about. Monday s flying went well. The wind was moderate, and only a few off-field excursions were noted. The wind was out of the northeast and provided an ample amount of drift down field. The skies were overcast most of the day, and temperatures were mild until the end of the day, which made for spotty thermal production. The scores reflected the elusive availability of lift and need for sure thermal detection. Winning was hard, as it should be at the Nats! The FAI events got off to a roaring start with F1C and F1A. Eleven fliers contested F1C, electric power s most sophisticated (and complex) Photos by the author. event. Marty Richardson (WI) scored a decisive win with 1,744 seconds over Jack Murphy s (UT) 1,655 and James Coffin s (VA) 1,572. F1A, the large Towline Glider event, drew 10 contestants, many of whom are veterans of international competition. Mike McKeever (CA) eked past with Cai Oliver to win, 1,985 versus 1,932 seconds. Ken Bauer followed closely with 1,887 seconds. The Gas events proved very popular as always. 1/2A NosGas had 25 fliers. Bob Sowder (VA) won easily with 720 seconds, two minutes ahead of Rudy Kluiber s (OH) 600 and Larry Davidson s (VA) 597. The huge D Gas models provided their usual grandeur. Ronnie Thompson (AL) led the pack of eight with a thrashing 1,350 seconds, followed eventually by Charles Caton (AL) with 876 and Bob Hanford (OK, nee TX) with 722. The ever-entertaining Gas Payload event drew seven fliers the same seven or so for decades and offered a clubhouse atmosphere. The everentertaining Dan Berry (AR) won with 312 seconds. The Old Timer (OT).020 Replica event drew its usual dedicated crowd. Rudy Kluiber (OH) led the pack of 10 with 572 seconds. Bill Schlarb (IN) followed with 435, along with Gil Morris (OH) who had 353. (Gil flew a Kerswap, if you weren t sure!) AB Classic Gas drew another big group of 22 fliers. Dan Berry (AR) snuck past Bob Mattes (MO) with 1,198 seconds, compared with Bob s 1,164. Denny Dock (MI) won third with 745. The Hand-Launched Glider action began with the OT variety. Conditions were difficult, but Kyle Gerspacher (OH) won a close one with 120 seconds, harried by Big Jim Lewis (GA nee SD) with 116, and John Wilson (GA) with 109. The biggest Rubber event of the day, Moffett, drew a large group of 19. The three top fliers were pushing each other until very late in the day. Bill Vanderbeek eventually topped the other two with 1,440 seconds. Robert Marier (GA) and Paul Crowley (MI) followed with 1,381 and 1,367 respectively. Small Mulvihill, a relatively young event, drew eight fliers, and was won by a young flier, Robert Marier (GA), a newly minted high school graduate. His score of 1,083 seconds greatly outdistanced Jim Ferwerda s (WI) 540 and Jim Coffin s (VA) 522. Tuesday promises a full day of flying. The grandfather of Rubber Power, Mulvihill, will be flown, as well as ROW Rubber a very fun spectator event (that s Rise-Off-Water!). The FAI action resumes with F1C Power and F1H Glider, a contrast of big and loud with small and quiet. Big electric (B Electric) and big gas action (C Gas and A NosGas) abound. There re many others, so stay tuned! David Mills Robert Marier (GA) and his father, Tom, are prepping Robert s small Mulvihill. Ed Sneed (IN) is justly proud of his Moffett Rubber airplane. It is a former Nats winner.

3 Denny Dock (MI) is resting on Sunday with his big Sunbird Gas model, designed by Charlie Caton. Bill Vanderbeek (CA) and his Moffett Rubber airplane on Sunday. He won on Monday. Bud Romak (CA) winds his Moffett Rubber model on Monday. Bud also celebrated his 87th birthday on Monday. Dan Berry (AK) with a successful Payload launch. Each launch is a cliff hanger.

4 159 F1Q Electric Power 1 M D RICHARDSON GROSSE ILE, MI JACK MURPHY SALT LAKE CITY, UT JAMES M COFFIN ANNANDALE, VA JOEL A YORI PARKVILLE, MD RICHARD J IVERS WEST NEWTON, MA JULIE E PARKER WEATHERFORD, TX DAVID W LACEY ALEXANDRIA, VA DRAYCOTT HOOKE MOUNTAINHOME, PA PAUL S MASTERMAN VALLEJO, CA DRAKE HOOKE NEWFOUNDLAND, PA RALPH RAY BOULEVARD, CA 160 This is another well-executed Gas Power launch during Sunday s practice. It s exciting when it s done right and just as exciting when not. 105 D Gas 1 RONNIE C THOMPSON HARVEST, AL CHARLES CATON MONTGOMERY, AL ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK P JACK MARSH SOUTH BEND, IN GERALD S BROWN HENDERSON, TX BOB SOWDER TROUTVILLE, VA HANK SPERZEL BELLEVUE, NE SKEETER B SURGUINE ORMOND BEACH, FL 305 OTHL OT HL Glider 1 KYLE D GERSPACHER CLARKSVILLE, OH JAMES P LEWIS GARY, SD JOHN C WILSON ATLANTA, GA STEVEN T HOOKE LAKE FOREST, IL 99 5 JAN W LANGELIUS HASLET, TX 96 5 ANDREW C HOOKE LAKE FOREST, IL 96 6 RICHARD V PETERSON SAN CLEMENTE, CA 92 7 DAVID A GERSPACHER CLARKSVILLE, OH 85 7 DAVID HALE WILMINGTON, OH 85 8 W L SCHLARB SOUTH BEND, IN 80 9 DAROLD JONES MANITOU SPRINGS, CO CHUCK E POWELL BENTON, KS W A LOOMIS RIDGEFIELD, CT 39 James Gerszewski (WI) readies his big Gas Power aircraft for Sunday s practice. Sunday offered perfect conditions for the fliers. 150SO F1A-A2 Glider 1 MIKE MCKEEVER FAIR OAKS, CA OLIVER Y CAI ORANGE, CT KENNETH A BAUER GILROY, CA KYLE T JONES AVON LAKE, OH JOEL A YORI PARKVILLE, MD TZVETAN S TZVETKOV WEST BABYLON, NY DAVE EDMONSON EAGAN, MN CHARLES S MARKOS DEERFIELD, IL CHARLES R JONES AVON LAKE, OH JOHN E LORBIECKI HUBERTUS, WI 79

5 Dave Lacey (VA) enjoys a quiet day of practice on Sunday. 128 Moffett 1 WILLIAM H VANDERBEEK LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA ROBERT E MARIER ROSWELL, GA PAUL CROWLEY WARREN, MI THOMAS G IOERGER BOULDER CITY, NV JIM JENNINGS HENDERSONVILLE, TN EDWARD KONEFES WAUCONDA, IL DAVID L SECHRIST BRISTOL, IN JAMES FERWERDA KENOSHA, WI DAVID MILLS ATLANTA, GA JOSEPH M WILLIAMS BROOKVILLE, PA JOHN R SEYMOUR RADNOR, OH EDWARD J HARDIN KINGSTON, TN JIM OREILLY BEL AIRE, KS HERB KOTHE BOULDER, CO BUD ROMAK LINCOLN, CA JAMES L GERSZEWSKI NEW BERLIN, WI ED SNEED COLUMBUS, OH WILLIAM G CARSON GAINESVILLE, TX LAWRENCE D COSLICK SAINT LOUIS, MO 120 Sunday featured a good Gas Power model launch. It s just lovely when it goes as planned. Bob Hanford (OK, nee TX) launching one of his Gas Power aircraft. This is quite a sight in the hands of an expert. 1/2GAS 1/2 A Nos Gas 1 BOB SOWDER TROUTVILLE, VA RUDY J KLUIBER LAKEWOOD, OH LARRY DAVIDSON MONETA, VA JAMES R HACK DOWAGIAC, MI DENNY L DOCK STEVENSVILLE, MI KEITH FULMER MISHAWAKA, IN PAUL E NELSON GEORGETOWN, MA JAMES BOCCKINFUSO HARDY, VA ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK SCOTT J LAPRAIK PORTLAND, TN ROGER W ERRIDGE SARANAC, MI GLENN D SCHNEIDER DIABLO, CA ROBERT N EDELSTEIN GRAND LEDGE, MI JOHN R OLIVER PIERCETON, IN ROY SMITH KINGSTON, CANADA BLAINE T STONE CHESTERFIELD, MO DAVE EDMONSON EAGAN, MN LEE F CAMPBELL DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI ROBERT W SCHUETTLER LORIDA, FL H THOMAS BELL HOUSTON, TX HAYDEN G ASHWORTH INDIANAPOLIS, IN DOUGLAS K MARSH GRANGER, IN RICHARD KACMARSKY LANSING, MI CHARLES R HARPER BLANCHESTER, OH SIMON BLAKE TORONTO, CANADA 75 NatsNews

6 SIG020 OT 020 Replica 1 RUDY J KLUIBER LAKEWOOD, OH W L SCHLARB SOUTH BEND, IN GILBERT C MORRIS COLUMBUS, OH GLENN D SCHNEIDER DIABLO, CA ALAN ABRISS REGO PARK, NY PAUL E NELSON GEORGETOWN, MA JOHN R OLIVER PIERCETON, IN ROGER W ERRIDGE SARANAC, MI RICHARD KACMARSKY LANSING, MI ELVIN W BUCHELE SYLVANIA, OH 147 SMR SMALL MULVIHILL RUBBER 1 ROBERT E MARIER ROSWELL, GA JAMES FERWERDA KENOSHA, WI JAMES M COFFIN ANNANDALE, VA JOHN F SCHNOBRICH LAKE BLUFF, IL FRANK H PERKINS JR TUSCALOOSA, AL DAVID MILLS ATLANTA, GA JOSEPH M WILLIAMS BROOKVILLE, PA DAVID L SECHRIST BRISTOL, IN 120 The Parkers (TX) relax between flights. Both are active power fliers and past Nats winners. Hayden Ashworth (IN) with his Cox-powered Gas model. Hayden s only 12 but already a very active Power flier. 106 Payload 1 DANIEL B BERRY BENTON, AR RUDY J KLUIBER LAKEWOOD, OH DENNY L DOCK STEVENSVILLE, MI ABRAM VANDOVER NEWPORT NEWS, VA BILL R REUTER NORTH OLMSTED, OH HANK SPERZEL BELLEVUE, NE ROBERT D STALICK ALBANY, OR C A/B Classic Gas 1 DANIEL B BERRY BENTON, AR ROBERT E MATTES SAINT CHARLES, MO DENNY L DOCK STEVENSVILLE, MI RICHARD COVALT ANDERSON, IN SCOTT J LAPRAIK PORTLAND, TN CHARLES R HARPER BLANCHESTER, OH GERALD S BROWN HENDERSON, TX JAMES BOCCKINFUSO HARDY, VA JAMES R HACK DOWAGIAC, MI JAMES A DEMERITTE PALM BAY, FL HAYDEN G ASHWORTH INDIANAPOLIS, IN H THOMAS BELL HOUSTON, TX DOUGLAS K MARSH GRANGER, IN ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK SIMON BLAKE TORONTO, CANADA DICK W BERTRAND WEST OLIVE, MI J G PAILET LADY LAKE, FL DRAKE HOOKE NEWFOUNDLAND, PA ROY B STEWART PRINCETON, IN HANK SPERZEL BELLEVUE, NE P JACK MARSH SOUTH BEND, IN CLARK NatsNews A DARLING 2015 KENT LAKES, NY 80 Dohrman Crawford (GA) is launching his new E-36 on its maiden flight on Sunday. It didn t crash.

7 If you ever wondered what it takes to be a Free Flight contest flier, here s Scott Lapraik s (TN) example boys, toys, and noise. Bob Hanford (OK, nee TX) with one of his big Gas Power models. He flew in six events on Monday. Robert Marier (GA) launching his Moffett Rubber airplane off the table as required a tricky business. He placed second on Monday. The Brunos are here after an absence of many years. It s good to see them again. Scott Lapraik (TN) and Jim Jennings Jr. (TN) are taking a break between flights on Monday. Bill Reuter (OH) preps his Payload model. Payload is an event dating back to World War II. A heavy model with a small engine taking off from a ramp is fun!

8 Mulvhill Rubber winners. Old-Timer winners. Nostalgia 1/2A Gas winners. Moffett winners. AB Classic Gas winners. Payload winners. 8 NatsNews 2015

9 Hayden Ashworth won two model airplane kits in lieu of trophies. F1Q winners. D Gas winners. Old-Timer Hand-Launch Glider winners. Nostalgia 1/2A Payload winners. Celebraing Bud Romak s (third from left) 87th birthday. NatsNews

10 David Mills photo. 10 NatsNews 2015