Look back through your previous newsletters and you'll find that at about this time last year I was ranting about how far behind I was an dhow fat the contest season was approaching and how I'd never let this happen to me again... I lied.  Here we are with two weeks until the first contest (Polk City, Iowa) and I've got exactly:

1. Three unpainted planes to finish and test fly and trim, etc.
2. Two just been test flown planes that I have to learn how to fly and figure out lines, props, run times, etc.
3. One plane from last year that has yet to run.

This year I will refrain from making any promises in regards to next year's contests.

Even though the weather has been lousy, I know that people have been out to the field flying their planes.  I also stopped by last week to put up a couple of flights.  The first thing I noticed was how well our field survived the winter.  This is the first time in years that some nit-wit hasn't driven out there and dug up our grass.  The other thing I noticed was how rusty I am.  I flew the Lagg that John Christensen repaired for me a couple of times then decided that despite feeling rusty it was time to test fly my Legacy.  The first four flights went perfectly.  No hunting, turned evenly both ways, wings were level, and ran great.  I've never had a plane that didn't need some trimming after the first few flights, but this one doesn't.  I'm going to change props though just because I feel obligated to do something.

I also flew my fifty dollar Flight Streak A.R.F.  Actually, Bob test flew it, then Sina, then Wayne, then myself.  What a blast!  This plane does all of the maneuvers of the stunt pattern and does them better then a lot of planes I've flown.  The Flight Streak is surprisingly stable and I would not be afraid to compete with it in any P-40 event.  On tope of that, and here is the really important part, it's just plain fun to fly.

Now that the season has started I want to make sure everyone knows that we still need to monitor exhaust noise and with that comes pull tests.  Don't get angry or take it personally if your (or my) plane is found to have flaws that need fixing before it flies.  Check all the nuts and bolts, prop blades, push rod clevises, fuel tank mounts, etc, before you bring it out for the first time and every so often after that.  Remember it never pays to do anything half assed.

The first even our club has scheduled this year is Discover Aviation Days.  This is a good time for everyone with an almost endless amount of flying right on the flight line of Anoka County Airport.  It also is very good P.R. for our club.  The dates are May 22 and 23 with set up on May 21 starting at about 1:00 PM.  We'll figure that our at this months meeting.

See You There,
Keith Sandberg

Vice President's Column

First off, an apology to Bob and everyone.  I promised Bob to be faithful and on time with some scribblings, and then I get derailed.  I had a routine surgery scheduled and then some other things went wrong and I'm only tonight going in for the surgery tomorrow (Friday).  Hope to be up to speed for this month's meeting, but I'll likely be a little slowed down.

A couple of things that have turned up on my computer lately: on the Stuka Stunt Forum, someone asked people to tell what their first CL model was.  The answers said a lot about the age of the responder.  There were pre-Barnstormer folks, Barnstormer builders, a few of my old favorite items: the Guillow Trainers, and then Sterling P-51s, and YAKs, and many, many Ringmasters, mixed with a few Cox PT-19s.  Technically, my first was a Cox J-3, but my brother and his high school cohorts swiped it and wrecked it right away.  So I ended up with a Guillow Trainer II with a $3.95 McCoy RH 19.  Then a Buster, an old, well worn Veco Brave and a Ringmaster Jr. OK, everyone, it's confession time.  Send me an email or a penny post card with the name of your first CL model.  And next month we'll have a contest to see who can most accurately guess everyone's age!

If you haven't seen Jeff's pictures from the VSC, you should.  He should cover the event or Stunt News!  And if anyone ever thought that Bill Wergage doesn't have it any more, they need to look at his Ares.  Zowee.

OK, enough for now. I'll off, and hopefully return with better plumbing.

See you,
Kelvin Heath

Member's Space

Well it's almost flying time, which means the contest season is just around the corner.  Wow am I excited, don't know how things will work out but I do know that I will have fun.  Contest season always brings the chance to not only improve on your flying, but a chance to cheer on your fellow flyers.  I hope to see many good flights including my own.

Another thing takes place at the start of the new flying season "New Airplanes" on the field.  It's fun to see what people have been doing during the winter.  It is even better to see the satisfied face of the builder as their new creation takes flight.

This year it will also be fun to see which aircraft factory turned out the most, "The Willey Aircraft Works" or the "Sandberg Stunters Factory".  I know there are many more planes coming out this year but it seems that these two guys have been bringing a new plane to every meeting.  Is it a competition?

Speaking of Keith's building I want all to know that he has been building the "Firecat" I will be using for Old-Time this year.  Keith ahs gone out of his way not only for me, but for many of us when we need help form building to painting, designing to the answering of any questions we can think of.

When it comes to flying he is also there to help us achieve better flights by coaching us.

Thanks Keith, I couldn't ask for a better friend.

Bob

Bulk Fuel Order

Hi guys, sorry I haven't set anything firm yet with Hobbytown but Hobby Warehouse is handling the fuel order on behalf of my St. Paul Model Radio Controllers club.

The following link (to a PDF file) has our R/C newsletter with the order form and prices.  The R/C club will NOT be involved in the order or pickup.  Everyone needs to send a check with order form to Hobby Warehouse by April 30.  Members will have to arrange to pick up their fuel from the hobby shop when it comes in middle of May time frame.

http://www.spmrc.com/pulse/2004-Mar.pdf

Some of the samples they are offering:

Morgan Fuels:

• Omega 10% = $11.49/gallon
• Omega 15% = $12.49/gallon
• Cool Power 10% = $11.49/gallon
• Cool Power 15% = $12.49/gallon
• Cool Power (heli) 30% = $19.99/gallon

Wildcat Fuels:

• 2+4 Cycle 15% = $12.49/gallon
• Prem 2 Cycle 15% = $12.49/gallon
• YS 20/20 2% = $16.49/gallon

Sig Fuels (I believe these are the castor/syn blends)

• Sig 10% = $11.49/gallon
• Sig 15% = $12.49/gallon

Hobby Warehouse
7120 Chicago Ave S
Richfield, MN  55423

Fuel must be pre-paid for by check and the order received at Hobby Warehouse by April 30, 2004.  If you have any questions, please call Tom or Jeremy at (612) 861-5587.  Fuel will be ready to pick up after May 15th.

Hope to have some info on Hobbytown by inclusion deadline of next N/L.

Regards,
Steve Scott
651-604-0919

VSC-XVI

I've never met Mike Kelville.  I probably never will.  But I'm told that he was the original force behind the crazy idea of a championship contest & social even for those of us who can't quite let go of the past.  So began the tradition known as the VINTAGE STUNT CHAMPIONSHIPS, which just completed it's 16th year.

Limited to "Classic", "Old Time", and "Ignition" stunt, VSC has become "Shangri-La" for those of us who choose to live in the GOOD OLD DAYS.  Over a hundred crazies migrate late each winter to the warmer southern climates for 4 days in March to see if the models we grew up with (or read about for the younger folk) are still as good as we remember.  Anyway, Tucson in March looks awfully good to those of us in ice & snow country.

Our trip almost didn't come off again this year when my wife, Toni, fell and cracked a knee cap 10 days before departure.  As decision time approached she decided she was almost as comfy in the car as in a chair at home, and the scenery on the trip would be a lot better than the TV, so after figuring a way to put the Tempest, our luggage, a wheelchair and a walker in our Focus Wagon, off we went in driving rain and wind, which we understand turned to ice and snow just after we departed.  By the time we hit Kansas City the A/C was on in the car and stayed on until we hit Iowa on the way home.

Arriving at Tucson 4 days later we found temps in the high 80's and forecast into the 90's with virtually no wind or humidity.  Take my word, you may not sweat but you MUST push fluids at a huge rate.  Convenience stores there give as much shelf space tot Gatorade as they do to pop, and with good reason.

Headquarters for VSC is the Rodeway Inn.  I'd guess that nearly half the rooms are filled with Modelers.  The pool and adjoining courtyard are filled with the strange language of "pull test", "appearance points", "Brodak dope" and other terms that raise eyebrows with the uninitiated.  Rodeway is about 10 minutes from the flying site and it's hard to go anywhere around it without seeing contestants and VSC shirts.

Although too tired to fly Wednesday, a visit to the site was in order.  With two GREAT paved and three grass circles plus a paved pit area and a scenic pond (used by R/C boats) at one end, this is a control line paradise.  A few trees and a couple of mountain ranges flank the site for character.  One word of caution: while a "trip to the woods" at our site may risk a wood tick encounter, out there it's rattlesnakes.  The nearest housing is well beyond sound range so mufflers aren't needed.

Thursday and Friday were practice days for me since classic was flown Saturday & Sunday.  Practicing with folks like Bob Hunt, Bill Werwage, Gordon Delaney and many other notables is a thrill.  They have built in sign up sheets on a pedestal for each circle so just plant your model and sign in.  I attended and flew at 11 Nat's in the 60's and 70s so I have met some of these folks but getting to know them again and being made to feel like one of the group was real kick.

Another point: maybe 1/4 of the flyers are high-end competitors.  The rest build and fly at all levels and make the point that VSC is for everyone from world champs to ARF fun flyers.  Everyone is made to feel welcome and part of the fraternity.

On Friday night, the courtyard of the Rodeway is a builders paradise with appearance point judging for Classic.  All through the week, I was amazed at the attention and compliments my Tempest received.  To my surprise, it got 14 appearance points beside some really lovely models.  Even some ARF Noblers had been stripped and refinished to magnificence (no appearance points, though).  This is truly a "gathering of eagles" with some breathtakingly lovely planes present.  Motivation to make the next one better!

Following the judging, the courtyard was cleared, and set up for a special event: Bart Klapinski's wedding.  This was a lovely, formal, ceremony with Bart, his new bride, and a few hundred close personal friends from all over the world.  By the way, Bart designed the Tempest and won the '67 Nat's with it.  He is considered on of the most talented flyers around and a very nice person.

Saturday morning was flying time and I managed to put up a 492 flight.  No threat to the leaders but quite respectable with top notch judging.  The temp was near 90 with variable winds of 2 to 4 knots.  We all had problems with the wind changing during maneuvers but still great conditions.

By this time, Toni was starting to use a cane instead of the walker so our lives got a lot easier.  Former Piston Popper Burt Brokaw got back to town Saturday, after having to leave for a death in the family, and introduced us to a fine Mexican restaurant near the site.

Saturday night is banquet time at VSC with over 200 attending .  Ted Fancher did a great job of emceeing and we were introduced to such folks as Bob Palmer, Dale Kirn, John and Buzz Brodak.  At our table we sat next to a couple all the way from Sydney, Australia.  This is a truly a remarkable gathering and a rare chance to meet many of the greats of our sport.  IT was also announced that awards in Classic (79 contestants) would go to 10th place.

Sunday dawned warm, dry, and for the first time in the contest: WINDY!  Steady winds were 15 to 20 knots with gusts into the 30's.  Many wise flyers decided not to risk a ship, but I was not among them.  It looked like sheer survival might get a place so why not?  As it turned out 368 points, a very rough pattern, would have gotten me 10th place but alas it was not to be.  The Tempest was capable but I was not, and it crashed at the bottom of the second inside.  Pure pilot error and honestly, I'm not even sure the wind was much of a factor.  The cockpit and pilot survived but has informed me he won't fly again without an airbag.  We're negotiating.

We spent Sunday afternoon at Burt Brokaw's home, just 2 miles form the site, with Jim Rhoades, looking at many pix from the '40's through the '70s.  Jim was a prominent speed and stunt flyer in those days.  Thanks again for the hospitality, Burt.

As we headed home Monday, my ever patient wife informed me that we ARE going back next year, when she can walk, and I AM going to have a new plane built.  About two minutes ago a new Tempest kit arrived and a Brodak 40 is on its way for power.  Meanwhile, the profile Cardinal is about ready and will be my warrior for this year.

If you have any way of attending VSC, even as a "sport" flyer competing just for fun, you should really take a shot.  It's a great trip with scenery, museums such as the Pima Air Museum, the Pueblo (Co.) Air Museum, and the Strategic Air Command museum enroute.

The 2005 event will be a week and a day earlier, likely March 9-12.  They are starting on Wednesday and ending Saturday to make it easier for travelers and a week early due Easter being early.  Take a shot, you won't regret it!

Jeff Welliver

Miscellaneous

In response to Norm's design page question asking how to do "FILLETS" a reader writes:

Norm,

I share your frustrations with fillets.  When I made them from Micro-balloons, I was never able to get them as smooth and sculptured as I wanted and then, after painting, I discovered that the paint does not adhere, which really spoils the entire "look" of the plane.

On my current project, I am using Hobico Balsa-lite filler to make the fillets.  After applying two base layers to give the fillets the proper structure, I have added 6 additional tinned coats to try to give them a "finished" appearance.  They seem to be porous enough to accept paint.  However, I am not quite at the finishing paint stage yet, just applying thin coats of nitrate dope.

I note in Lone Star Models on-line catalog, Fourmost lists some ready-formed fillet material.  I've not tried it but it might be worth investigating.  Perhaps someone in the club has used them.  I've also heard of, but never seen, leather fillets!!!!  Again, someone in the club may have used them.

Take care,
Mike Moylan