AMA Nats: FF Outdoor Scale
TOGETHERNESS. Fentress Naval Air Station's auxiliary field, just on the outskirts of Chesapeake, VA, was the site of the bulk of 1988 Nats flying, save RC Helicopter and RC Soaring, which were held at two separate locations. Having Control Line events, most Radio Control events, and what Free Flight there was all at one location dramatically increased opportunities for spectators to see several facets of modeling. It also provided a forum for modelers to interact with the spectators and display their modeling skills. While Fentress could be termed hospitable to contestants and spectators alike, it was on the short side of being adequate for the Outdoor Free Flight Scale events-the last vestiges of a full schedule of '88 Nats Free Flight, which had to be cancelled at the eleventh hour due to the loss of the previously acquired site (and two alternates). The planned site would have been more than adequate to accommodate the full panoply of events which had been scheduled.
AMA National Fun Fly
THE NOTION that modelers can and should get together for the sheer joy of flying their airplanes in each other's company is probably as old as modeling itself. During the last few years, this notion has become somewhat more formalized than in the days when flying sites were to be had on vacant lots or on the outskirts of every town. In lieu of the many impromptu flying sessions of earlier times, the scarcity of available flying sites has given rise to organized gatherings of modelers at specific local and regional locations-the fun fly format that has become so familiar to today's modelers.
Boston Coupe
DESIGNED AS A SEMISCALE model of the Monocoupe 90A, the Boston Coupe is also geared to the current west coast (Mooney) Bostonian rules. The prototype has flown for 48 seconds indoors under a 28-ft. ceiling, and I anticipate that flights exceeding one minute can be achieved as further testing is conducted. Building this model presents no real problems for those with at least a few Scale ships to their credit. The brief construction notes that follow, however, will explain anything unclear on the plans as well as guide the uninitiated.
Free Flight: Duration
AMONG the enjoyable aspects of each competition flying season is the opportunity to travel throughout the country to various meets within reasonable driving distance on weekends. Renewing old acquaintances and making new ones are two of the activities which always rank high on my list of favorite things to do, as does the chance to observe at first hand new developments in the art and science of Free Flight. Denver's Magnificent Mountain Men Club harbors some of the nation's best and most innovative fliers in its midst, so it's always a pleasure to include at least one of its contests in our travelogue plans. Not only does it have good monthly flying meets at its excellent site southeast of Denver, but it designates certain meets for various purposes, such as emphasizing specific events to encourage club members to build outside their area of specialization.
Kansas Wakefield Champ
OVER A HALF-CENTURY ago, Ernie Linn's first attempt at a Wakefield design ultimately evolved into the Kansas Wakefield Champ of 1938 and 1939. Although the design was never formally published as a construction article at that time, sufficient photographic evidence and drawings existed for the plane to be certified legal by John Pond for today's SAM contests. The story of how this contest-winning airplane came into being is an interesting trip down nostalgia lane in itself, and for those who flew during that era it's bound to stir up memories. Here is Ernie's account of those events and times:
