1/8 Air Force Fall Fly-In
By Dan Bott
With more than a hundred Corsairs, Mustangs, Staggerwings, Extra 230s and SR-71s piloted by some of the best in the business, this year's 1/8 Air Force Fall Fly-In showed why scale modelers with the inside track keep coming back.
Overview
For over a decade the 1/8 Air Force Fly-In has been held twice a year, once each spring and once in the fall. Generally, articles about these fly-ins tout the larger spring event as "the one not to miss," with scarcely a mention of the fall edition. Yet by most enthusiasts' measure a fly-in that draws well over 100 full-RC scale birds—Corsairs, Mustangs, Staggerwings, Extra 230s, SR-71s and more—from across the country is pretty stellar in its own right. It's time to give the smaller sibling equal billing.
Models and pilots gathered for the 1990 fall scale fly-in at the Arizona Model Aviators' Spook Hills site in Mesa. From Mustangs to Extra 230s, these are big, fast planes—and they came to fly. Under Arizona's severe clear October skies, fly they did.
It's the lack of hangar queens that makes the fall event so much fun. While the fly-in has a laid-back feeling, most participants have spent months sorting out new projects and practicing their piloting skills. There's more emphasis on flying than on display.
Highlights
Among the highlights was some impressive warbird formation flying. Ken Bodnar (Phoenix) and Dave Smith (Taylor, AZ) showed formation departures and flybys with a pair of Byron Corsairs. Equipped with G62 power, RC ignition and a sliding canopy, gear doors and flaps, Dave's model has logged over 15 successful flights. Ken's Corsair, which sports a Sachs 4.2 engine, is past the 20-flight mark.
After an eye-level flyby from Ken's Corsair, a bystander shouted, "Lower!" Taking the challenge, Ken set up for a dust-blowing pass—when pow! The right wing clipped one of Arizona's famous mesquite trees. Fortunately, the Corsair hit one tree and landed in another, so the damage was repairable.
Warbirds were plentiful at the fly-in, with dozens of Mustangs, P-38s, B-25s and others. Jim Hildebrand of Parker Dam, CA, brought two P-51s, one to fly and one for static display. For static judging, Jim's show plane was absolutely flawless; he has put three flights on it using a Quadra 40 with Byron drive. His "go" plane, powered by a Quadra 50 direct drive, has over 50 flights. Jim is big on Byron warbirds and Futaba PCM radios.
Chuck Collier's Beech Staggerwing is a familiar sight at the fly-ins. Chuck, a longtime 1/8 Air Force member from Phoenix, AZ, is a real showman—the sort who makes other fliers stop everything just to watch.
What event would be complete without an aerial performance from Dennis Crooks of the Chicagoland area? All eyes were on Dennis's SR-71 as it streaked through the air at about 140 mph. Two O.S. .91s turning Dynafax fans power this 106-inch-long replica of the famous spy plane.
Speaking of jets, a real piece of sentiment was in the air when Clay Milhfeld of Gilbert, AZ, put multiple flights on the late Roy Orbison's Byron B-15. There was ample chance to examine Orbison's plane on the ground, too. Clay also flew his F-16 sport ducted-fan jet powered with an O.S. .77 and a huge 1/3-scale Lazer 200 by Bob Godfrey. Outfitted with a potent O.S. Pegasus 320 FS, the Lazer was a treat to watch.
Safety
A high priority is always put on safety at the 1/8 Air Force fly-ins. AMA Frequency Committee member Lance Halle oversaw transmitter control with his spectrum analyzer. The 1/8 Air Force has an excellent flight-line control system: a safety officer for each flight line has radio contact with the control tower atop the ramada. All departures, landings, and special front-and-center maneuvers must be given prior approval.
Conclusion
The 1/8 Air Force Fall Fly-In keeps bringing me back. The pit area is less crowded than at the spring event, the pilots are more proficient, and I'm always fascinated by the assortment of working technology they bring. The spring fly-in beats this one for size, but never for fun.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
