NSRCA Championships
The NSRCA 1976 Championships were held in Southern California at Mile Square Regional Park, Fountain Valley on September 4, 5, and 6. Novice, Advanced, Expert and Master Classes were flown with a total entry of 47 competitors. The largest entry was in Novice with 15, Advanced had 9 as did Expert, and the Master Class managed 14.
Tony Bonetti from New Jersey (now known as the Albanian Prince), Bob Beltrano from Hawaii, George Hill from Virginia, Bill Hemple and son from Tucson, Arizona, Curt Oberg from Litchfield, Arizona, and Howard Danforth from New Mexico represented the fliers from outside California.
The contest was well organized, and after a few small problems the first day, went very smoothly. The judging was consistent and all but two of the 16 judges used were members of the USPJA. The two non‑USPJA judges were very knowledgeable on RC pattern and will probably become members of USPJA.
The NSRCA contest management provided motel, banquet and travel expenses for those judges who were imported from outside the Los Angeles area. The fact that we had 16 judges, plus two alternates, made it possible to run four flight lines with two judges per line and the judges saw all the fliers and only had to judge every other round. I think this made the judging much easier because the judges did not have to be on the line for more than 2½ hours at one time.
The quality of flying seemed to be very good, as there were only 1,955 points between first and last place in Master and only 450 points between first and fifth. In Expert, the point spread between first and last was only 103. The pilots are all becoming very consistent and the judging is also becoming very consistent. Bob Smith and Otto Diffenbaugh tied for 9th place with 9,065 points. I don't think I can remember a Master competition where two pilots tied for any place.
Joe Bridi, who was also the contest co‑ordinator (what was your job, Joe?) almost won the contest even though he mid‑aired with Marty Berry in the fifth round and totally destroyed Marty's ship and only broke the prop, spinner and cracked the wing on his bird. Joe ended up 375 points behind Steve Helms who won the event with an impressive 10,070 points for the best three flights out of a total of eight. Kraft .61, K&B .61 and Webra Speed engines seemed popular. Retracts and Kraft radios were also widely used.
Dave reports that Model Builder hosted a buffet and cocktails at a lovely home next door to the flying field Saturday night and a Model Builder magazine party Sunday night at the publishing mansion. Model Builder has a beautiful facility — Costa Mesa modelers, if you ever get out to California, must see the place.
Joe Bridi and his lovely wife Jean hosted a post‑contest party Monday night. We were still going strong after I left at 9:30 p.m. Very memorable Labor Day contest — pattern fliers from the Midwest, East and South sure missed a grand time.
Three of the first five Masters used Kraft engines, radios and retracts; the exception was Joe Bridi, who used Rhom‑Air retracts. Three of the first five were Dirty Birdys and the trophies presented were unique lamps. and statues of a pilot that were hand painted by the Joe and Betty Stream family (especially Suzie). In fact, Betty Stream put on one fantastic event and the NSRCA should consider having the Masters Team selection in California next year if they could con Betty into being CD.
For after-hours fun and games, Millie and John Targos hosted a Friday night happy hour for the contestants and workers to warm up with. The Bill Keefes hosted a buffet and cocktails in their lovely home next door to the flying field on Saturday night. Model Builder magazine had a party on Sunday night at their publishing mansion (and I do mean mansion). Model Builder has a beautiful facility in Costa Mesa. If any of you modelers ever get out to California, this place is a must to see.
Joe Bridi and his lovely wife Jean hosted a post-contest party Monday night that was still going strong after I left at 9:30 p.m. All in all, it was a very memorable Labor Day contest and all those pattern fliers from the mid‑west, east and south sure missed a grand time.
NSRCA Champs Results
Master
- Steve Helms — 10,070
- Joe Bridi — 9,695
- Phil Kraft — 9,660
- Jim Kimbro — 9,635
- Tony Bonetti — 9,620
Expert
- Howard Danforth — 444
- Don Thorney — 441
- Bill Simpson — 427
- Dick Russ — 410
- Frank Prattini — 403
Advanced
- Ralph DePalma — 367
- Curt Oberg — 359
- Joseph Hildreth — 352
- Craig Millet — 343
- Bill Hemple, Jr. — 338
Novice
- Roy Speights — 403
- Marty Wittenberg — 402
- Bob Davalos — 384
- Willard Neuman — 378
- Jerry Ortego — 351
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
