Control Line: Aerobatics
Ted Fancher 158 Flying Cloud Isle Foster City, CA 94404
Intro
Hi, gang — this is going to be an odds-and-ends month. Lots of exciting things are happening that should be passed on, so here goes.
Class act — Cox Hobbies response
I was pleased with the terrific response from Cox Hobbies, Inc. regarding my review of their Super Chipmunk ARF (almost-ready-to-fly) Stunter last month. Kudos also to the Model Aviation editorial staff for the way they handled the matter. I had been concerned about submitting a column that was less than totally complimentary of a product from one of Model Aviation's advertisers — would Cox take exception? Would MA choose not to run it for fear of alienating an advertiser?
As it turned out, neither concern was warranted. Cox accepted the criticism constructively and acted on it. Within days I received a letter from Mr. Dave Duncan, Director of Engineering for Cox, which stated in part:
- "After reading your review of our Chipmunk I decided to give your suggestions a try. In short, you're correct. We have decided to add the weight pocket and move the lead-out guide. The mold is being changed today. The weights have been ordered and the instruction sheets are having new artwork made."
I'm impressed. The changes will make a better product and, quite likely, lead to better word-of-mouth and increased sales.
Covering repair tip
Gerry found that heated covering material can cool rapidly; work quickly when removing the heated section. Once the area cooled, the dope appeared to return to its original strength, making removal of the covering difficult. If the covering cannot be completely stripped to make necessary repairs, apply new covering just like a new wing.
Golden State Stunt Championships (GSSC)
I just returned from the 11th Annual Golden State Stunt Championships in Fresno, CA. Each year they seem to outdo themselves, and this was perhaps the best ever in terms of both competition and administration.
Highlights
- The meet ran smoothly and generated high-quality competition.
- There were 33 entries across three skill classes and Old‑Time Stunt.
- Expert Stunt featured six of the top 10; three of the top five were Nationals competitors.
- Only 10 points separated first from fifth in one class, and the outcome wasn't settled until the last flight — like a mini‑Nats.
Notable fliers and ships
- Ron Holloway (Sacramento area) won Advanced after a fly-off with Dino Marcinielli; both had identical official scores. Ron flew a modified Magnum he calls the Cabriolet, powered by an exceptionally smooth .57–.60 engine.
- Beginner/Intermediate was won by Russ Graves (southern California), who transitioned from combat to stunt under the guidance of Mike Keville. Russ flew a new Nostalgia‑era kit of Dee Rice’s Oriental design, available from Control Line Classics (see contact below).
- Contest director Cetta Johnson did an outstanding job running the meet and the Saturday night banquet.
Kits
From the Direct Connection newsletter (Knights Round Circle): Sterling Models, according to letter manager Tom Haldis, is releasing famous CL scale kits and profiles.
- Available now: Stearman kit C-12, Great Lakes kit C-13
- Scheduled early 1989: Waco kit C-4, SE-5 kit C-6
- Kits have wingspans around 36" — worthwhile projects, especially for youngsters interested in CL scale.
Contest activity — Garden State Circle Burners (Control Line Scale show)
The Garden State Circle Burners held a successful Control Line Scale competition/model flying show on Sunday, September 25, 1988, at the Bendix Corporation parking field adjacent to Teterboro Airport (Industrial Road, just off Route 46).
Event summary
- Site: macadam-covered parking field
- Weather: clear, a bit cooler than expected
- Promoter: George Gaydos
- Events and entries: Precision, Sport, Profile Scale — total 18 entries (5 Precision, 7 Sport, 6 Profile)
- Awards: trophies and merchandise; seventh-place entries received awards as well
- Special awards included Best Finish, Best Flight, Best Crash
- Contest Director: Cetta Johnson (also handled banquet)
Nostalgia Stunt and PAMPA
Mike Keville has agreed to resurrect the PAMPA newsletter, Stunt News, at the request of PAMPA President Tom Dixon. Mike, already active as editor for the Knights of the Round Circle in Los Angeles, plans a bi‑monthly schedule and is soliciting input from PAMPA members worldwide. Send submissions to:
- Mike Keville, 6618 Dashwood St., Lakewood, CA 90713
Mike will also direct the First Annual Vintage Stunt Championships at Whittier Narrows, Los Angeles on February 19–20. The event will host an Old‑Time Stunt (OTS) event and the first-ever Nostalgia Stunt competition. Nostalgia‑era Stunt covers ships designed, published, or kitted between 1953 and 1964 — often considered the Golden Years of CL Stunt.
Committee and planning
Tom Dixon has appointed a committee including Mike Gentry (high-placing Nats flier and two-time U.S. World Champs team member) and myself to draft rules for the new Nostalgia event. Wyn Paul, PAMPA historian, will supply a comprehensive listing of qualifying designs to be included in the rules package.
We will pilot the event first and refine rules afterward based on experience.
Nostalgia Stunt — qualifying summary (current thinking)
- Qualifying period: designs published, kitted, or introduced between January 1953 and December 1964.
- Rare/one-of-a-kind ships: may be flown only if significant proof (dated pictures, plans, or ads) is presented.
- 1989 exemption: likely to allow OTS-legal ships to compete in Nostalgia so entrants can fly the same ship in both events during the transition year.
- Construction/finish: any type is allowed, but appearance points will be judged on period authenticity.
- Engines: original or period-correct engines preferred; modern engines of equivalent power and similar external appearance may be used if originals are unavailable.
- Flight pattern: pilots must fly an original‑style pattern (or as modified in the finalized rules), not a modern pattern.
- Safety and procedures: the current AMA pattern, safety rules, and procedures will be used.
- Documentation: if flying a model built from original plans, supply documentation proving vintage (plan cover, magazine article, advertisement). Photocopies are acceptable.
- Recommended: a small display card listing aircraft, designer, date, engine used, and any modifications.
I’ll cover more as plans and rules are finalized. Meanwhile, if you have a vintage ship and would like to know if it qualifies, drop me a line.
Contacts and sources
- Control Line Classics, 1788 Niobe Ave., Anaheim, CA 92804 (Nostalgia‑era kits such as Dee Rice’s Oriental)
- Sterling Models / Tom Haldis (Direct Connection newsletter info)
- PAMPA / Mike Keville, 6618 Dashwood St., Lakewood, CA 90713
Thanks to everyone who contributed reports and photos. Keep those letters and updates coming.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
