CL World Championships
Charlie Johnson
Overview
The United States hosted its first-ever Control Line World Championships September 17–22 at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, MA. Fliers from 22 countries attended, making this one of the most successful and enjoyable World Championships ever held in the U.S.
The U.S.A. teams sported spiffy new uniforms, but by the end of competition many felt like they were all dressed up with no place to go—except back to the drawing boards. The U.S.A. Aerobatics Team retained its championship status, but the individual champions in Combat and Aerobatics lost their crowns. Even though some U.S.A. team members were disappointed with their performance, it was a capably planned, well-run, and thoroughly enjoyable meeting of the best in competitive modeling.
The Events
The World Championships consist of four different types of flying:
- F2A — Speed
- Each competitor gets an official flight on each of the three days of competition. Speed is timed over 10 laps (one kilometer) and results are calculated in kilometers per hour.
- F2B — Precision Aerobatics (Stunt)
- The pattern is very similar to what most Americans are used to watching.
- F2C — Team Race
- Most like Class II Mouse Race but incredibly more complex, sophisticated, and light years ahead in performance.
- F2D — Combat
- The international class of Combat; Americans see it as .15-size Slow Combat. AMA and FAI rules have converged over the past eight years so FAI Combat is not so strange anymore.
Site and Facilities
The contest site was the same as that used for the 1983 National Championships. Highlights:
- Extensive grassy practice areas, particularly for Combat fliers.
- More than adequate practice room for the other events.
- At one point there were 27 separate circles in use simultaneously (not counting a "secret site" and numerous practice fields on base and around Chicopee).
- Speed and Racing circles had nylon nets to keep out Combat models, allowing spectators a closer look than usual.
Teams began arriving a week before the first official competition. Since Westover is an active facility, competitors were treated to training missions by C-130s making cargo drops, some mammoth C-5s, and an assortment of F-14s and Phantoms.
Accommodations and Organization
Accommodations were very good. The Quality Inn and several nearby hotels were booked solidly with modelers. Contest headquarters was at the Quality Inn before being moved out to the flying site. The AMA organizers deserve credit for outstanding planning and smooth execution; the supporting staff ensured everything ran on schedule. Foreign competitors went home thoroughly impressed at the U.S.A.'s ability to run a proper contest.
Competitors, Teams, and Hospitality
The video revolution affected the after-hours lifestyle of competitors and coaches: enterprising filmmakers provided video replays of the day's action in Combat, Racing, and Aerobatics (with the soundtrack courtesy of the Speed circle).
Many teams did not travel first class. The Dutch camped at the flying site—opting to bring a larger contingent and stay on-site rather than in hotels—and they won the team prizes for Combat and Racing plus the individual prize in Combat.
The German Combat team hitchhiked from Boston. A local Chicopee resident stopped, helped load their gear into and on top of the station wagon, and told them it would be an "honor" to take the German team to the championships site. At the flying field, members of the host club pitched in to help the foreigners set up. The hospitality shown by local fliers was outstanding and much appreciated by the visitors.
Weather and Schedule
Weather was mostly cooperative with bright sunny days. One day and part of another were very windy, which had a major effect on the Aerobatics placings. Official flying was delayed on the second morning because of heavy fog, and there was even some frost after a chilly evening.
Ceremonies and Social Events
- Opening ceremonies featured brightly dressed teams, officials, and dignitaries.
- Closing ceremonies were celebratory for the triumphant teams.
- Special functions at the Quality Inn included a wine-and-cheese tasting and a happy hour before the official banquet.
- The banquet facilities were jammed; a couple of shots fired from the black-powder revolver used to start the Team Race heats were needed to quiet the crowd.
- The management of the La Cuar restaurant probably wished they'd been armed after an invasion by combat fliers on Thursday night.
There was the usual trading of trinkets between natives and foreigners, renewal of long-time friendships, and the making of new ones.
Conclusion
Local residents welcomed the visitors and in turn the visitors got a glimpse of ordinary, working-class America—not the Big Apple or gaudiness, but a different, down-to-earth side of the country. Overall, the event was well organized, friendly, and memorable for competitors and spectators alike.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
