CONTROL LINE: Navy Carrier
Dick Perry 427 Live Oak Lane NE, Albuquerque NM 87122 E-mail: IFLYCL@compuserve.com
Overview
Navy Carrier at the Nationals is always exciting, and this year was no exception. The competition was hot — and so was the temperature. Although the weather was variable, many modelers produced personal-best performances. Most important, fellowship and camaraderie were as good as ever. The Nationals provide a wonderful opportunity to fly and watch Carrier with a group of modelers who truly enjoy the sport.
Profile Carrier
The Profile Carrier event opened strongly after a slow start last year. Bill Calkins set an early mark at 318.8, and scores generally climbed from there. Most modelers achieved their best scores on their first flights.
The wind was the main challenge — inconsistent and variable. Some fliers, especially those from Texas used to windy conditions, were able to take advantage of the wind and avoid being trapped by sudden changes.
Notable Profile highlights:
- Andy Westerheim recorded his best high speed ever at 89.7 mph and was on pace for a new Senior Profile record until a variable gust caused his model to momentarily back up.
- Mike Greb posted a 94.5 mph high speed and finished with a trophy-winning Profile score of 341.0 (fourth place), a personal best.
- Bill Bischoff finished third in Profile; his consistency across events contributed to winning the Eugene Ely Award (top Nats Carrier flier).
- Bill Calkins’ 318.8 in Profile was a personal best (fifth place).
When the Profile dust settled, eight modelers had scores in excess of 300 points, and four were in very close contention for the Eugene Ely Award (best total score across events).
Scale Competition
Scale classes were flown Friday, with wind conditions similar to Profile but a bit stronger. Scores in Scale mirrored many of the differences seen in Profile.
Key Scale results and incidents:
- Bill Bischoff’s first-scale flight produced a 437.9 final score, giving him a one-point edge in the Eugene Ely competition over Bill Melton (423.3).
- Kelly Hite was close behind in third after the first round.
- Pete Mazur had a very strong first flight in Class II (449.4) and was a leading contender in that class.
- Pete Mazur’s second Class I flight ended in disaster when the model disintegrated during the high-speed portion; wreckage indicated inboard wing failure followed by separation of tail and fuselage. The engine was saved.
- Bill Melton posted the best low speeds of the day, which helped him secure an early lead in Profile and a strong showing in Scale until a later structural failure ended a bid when his model broke up after exceeding 106 mph high speed.
- Mike Greb’s Scale efforts included a first flight of 410 and a later improvement to 413. Dale Gleason posted a late 411 and a second official flight of 409 to capture fifth place in Scale.
Top places in Scale:
- Class I top: Bill Bischoff (first in Class I)
- Class II top: Pete Mazur (early lead with 449.4; held under the conditions)
- Close finishes filled out the other podium positions (Kelly Hite, Bill Melton and Mike Greb all in contention).
Officials and Volunteers
Navy Carrier events relied on outstanding support from volunteer officials. The team, led by Ted Kraver, included:
- John "Doc" Holliday — Center Judge
- Dave King — Pit Boss
- Jan Westerheim — Tabulation
- Timers: Chip Largent, Rick Uhart, Carol Gleason
The annual Navy Carrier Society meeting and awards banquet was held after official events on Friday evening — a welcome, low-key chance to visit away from competition pressure.
Awards
The Navy Carrier Society honors three people with special awards each year:
- Eugene Ely Award (best total score in all events): Bill Bischoff (winning score 1232). The competition was close — five modelers finished within 140 points of Bischoff.
- Carol Johnson Spirit of Volunteerism Award: Ted Kraver
- Rookie of the Year: Art White
Unofficial Events (Saturday)
Saturday featured unofficial Carrier events sponsored by the Navy Carrier Society and others:
- Sportsman Profile Carrier (for those not entering regular Nats events or serving as officials): uncontested this year; many regular contestants moved up to official Profile on Thursday.
- Skyray Carrier (sponsored by Sig): 1st Bill Bischoff, 2nd Kelly Hite, 3rd Bob Furr.
- .15 Carrier (sponsored by Texas carrier modelers): 1st Bill Bischoff, 2nd Kelly Hite, 3rd Dale Gleason.
- Nostalgia Navy Carrier events (Scale and Profile), sponsored by the author.
Nostalgia Events
- Class I/II Nostalgia winner: Art Johnson, flying a Bill Johnson design 33-inch Guardian with a K&B .40.
- Profile Nostalgia winner: John Vina, flying an authentic Northrop XPC-1 powered by a SuperTiger .35.
- Contestants and officials voted the Roland Baltes Award (model and modeler best exemplifying the spirit of Nostalgia Carrier) to Art Johnson.
- Bill Johnson’s McCoy .60-powered Guardian did not make an official flight but drew interest.
Personal Bests and Notable Performances
Several modelers achieved personal bests:
- Andy Westerheim — Entered a Profile MO-1 in Class I (a Bill Bischoff design). Andy scored 338.0 in Class I (a personal best). He already holds the Senior Profile record at 327.6; had his model qualified for the Class I full-fuselage scale bonus, his performance would have set a new Senior record by a wide margin and beaten all Open fliers in Class I.
- Art Johnson — Personal best total score in Class II Nostalgia and two consistent high speeds over 104 mph; his Grumman Guardian was the only non-MO-1 in Class II to earn a trophy (fifth place).
- Bill Calkins — 318.8 in Profile (personal best, fifth place).
- Mike Greb — 341.0 in Profile (trophy, fourth place; personal best).
- Pete Mazur — Continued an impressive streak, having won at least one Carrier event at the Nats in each of the last 16 years.
Closing
The Nationals’ Navy Carrier contests showcased strong flying, memorable personal bests, close competition, and excellent volunteer support. Despite the challenging, variable winds, competitors and officials alike enjoyed a successful and convivial event.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
