Author: J. Troy
Edition: Model Aviation - 1992/11
Page Numbers: 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 180, 181, 185, 186
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Radio Control Nationals: Scale

Few events in the world of model aviation equal the thrill and excitement of the Academy of Model Aeromodeling Championships—specifically, its Scale events. The 1992 AMA National Aeromodeling Championships at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, not only lived up to expectations but far exceeded them. Westover provided first-class flying sites, food, accommodations, and military hospitality.

I had directed Radio Control Soaring at Westover in 1985. This year I brought a camera instead of a sailplane and kept it aimed at the RC Scale events. The Nationals is also a great place to renew friendships and meet colleagues from Model Aviation, other hobby-industry magazines, and the modeling community at large. As always, the Nationals was a wonderful time.

Event overview and dates

  • Static judging began Friday, June 26, 1992, in the main hangar.
  • Flying took place over the weekend on multiple flight lines; weather affected the schedule but competitors completed their flights Sunday in excellent conditions.

Staff and Judges

Organizers and officials

  • Scale Category Manager: John Guenther
  • Scale Event Director: John Haggart
  • Scorekeeping, registration, tabulation: Anne Underwood
  • Assistants: Jane Breshears, Barbara Dugan
  • Weighing and checks: Hal Winters; courtesy scale provided by Harold Parentis

Static judges (by category)

  • RC Sportsman static judges: Bill Stewart, Howard Breshears, Mike Welshans, Ed Culver, Hank Cavasso
  • RC Fun Scale static judge/handler: Charlie Bauer
  • FAI F4C judges: Bill Kleinhans, Wayne Frederick, Stan Alexander
  • FAI handlers: Bert Dugan, Jim Wood (NASA)
  • AMA Precision Scale judges: Skip Mast, Steve Sauger, Ron Sears
  • Precision handling: Mike Still

The static judges kept personal preference and rule-book definitions neatly separated—essential for fair judging. Many entries earned high marks; Charlie Bauer had the enviable job of awarding five‑point honors to most RC Fun Scale entries.

Flight judges

  • Jim Parker
  • Bill Stewart
  • Richie Roberts
  • Dick Smith
  • Frank Broach
  • Darlene Frederick
  • Al Tuttle
  • Steve Sauger
  • Ron Sears
  • Kit Gerhart
  • Bill Kleinhans
  • Wayne Frederick
  • Chauncey Dance
  • Art Arno
  • Evans Jenkins
  • Vern Altamirano
  • Stan Alexander
  • Parker Sferro
  • Mike Still
  • Skip Mast
  • James Sbrogna

Flight judging was done on four flight lines with panels rotating so competitors faced different teams each round. The commitment of these judges—often standing and concentrating for long hours—was vital to the contest.

Weather and flying

Saturday started with a cleared sky and the first round completed, but lunchtime brought heavy rain. Models were hurried under canopies; a short lull allowed a few more flights, but the rain returned more severely and flying ended for the day. Sunday dawned clear, calm, and nearly ideal for flying; rounds proceeded without interruption and many pilots flew well in excellent conditions.

Notable models and builders

Wayne Siewert — Mooney Turbo Porsche

  • 1/3-scale model, 88 in. span
  • Balsa construction, 16½ lb., O.S. .108 engine
  • Features flaps, Rhino-Air retracts, fiberglass cloth finish painted with DuPont automotive lacquer and clear-coated with Ditzler
  • Prototype: Mooney 20K airframe with Porsche 911 engine
  • Semikit availability: contact Wayne Siewert, 2740 31st Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Skip Board — Monocoupe 90A (RC Sportsman)

  • Scratch-built from plans based on Westburg drawings
  • 96 in. wing, O.S. .108, JR radio system
  • Weight ~17 lb., covered with SuperShrink Coverite, painted with Cooper Super Flight aircraft acrylic enamel
  • About one year of construction time; earned the high static score in RC Sportsman (broke 90)

Al Pineau — SE‑5 (Scout)

  • 1/4-scale, 80 in. span, SuperTiger 3000
  • Functional ailerons, flying/landing wires, bungee undercarriage
  • Finished with Chevron Perfect Paint over Solartex

Roger Carignan — Cessna O-1 Bird Dog

  • Based on Circus Hobbies kit
  • 7 ft. span (exact), weight 14.2 lb.
  • O.S. FT-120 Gemini twin engine
  • Finish: DuPont Centauri acrylic enamel over 3/4-oz. fiberglass and epoxy

Fokker D-VIIs

A rare showing: six Fokker D-VIIs appeared in various scales.

  • Dr. Norman Malinowski (Kendall Park, NJ)
  • 2.73 in./ft scale, 84½ in. span, 18 lb., Zenoah G-38, fueled on Coleman lantern fuel
  • Covered with white Worldtex, painted with Humbrol enamels and automotive lacquer
  • Nick Tusas (East Moriches, NY)
  • ~1/3-scale, 120 in. span, 40 lb., Quadra 65 and Zinger 22x10 prop
  • Covered with Sig Koverall, Aeroclassic dope
  • Tom Kosewski (Clinton, MA)
  • Expert class, 88 in. span, 30 lb., SuperTigre 3000
  • Futaba PCM radio, Sig Koverall/Sig dope finish, detailed accessories (pilot bust, Spandau kits)
  • Built over two years (over 2,000 hours)

Scott Foster — F-4 Phantom

  • 1/4-scale, 7 ft. long
  • Twin O.S. .65s with Dynamax fans
  • Tom Cook retracts with Impact Engineering struts, Yellow Aircraft F-18 brakes
  • Parsons glass cloth and epoxy base; K&B color and acrylic urethane clear coat
  • Weight: 25 lb.; JR PCM 10 radio

Irv Searl — Ryan STA (AMA Precision winner)

  • 1/4-scale Ryan STA, 91 in. span, 18 lb.
  • Balsa-and-plywood construction; fuselage covered with 3/4-oz. glass cloth; flying surfaces with Super Coverite
  • Sig nitrate dope base; Centauri acrylic enamel finish
  • Zenoah G-38 power, Futaba 1024 radio
  • Exceptional workmanship: won AMA Precision

Charley Nelson — Waco (RC Expert winner)

  • Scratch-built from original drawings at 2.25 in./ft scale
  • 76.4 in. span, ~16 lb., ~1,200 sq. in. wing area
  • Covering/finish: Sig Koverall, Sig butyrate dope, DuPont automotive primer and reducers
  • Extensive lithoplate detailing and handcrafted fiberglass cowl
  • Airtronics Vision 8-P programmable PCM/PPM radio handling flaps, an original-design in-flight mixture control, and retractable landing lights
  • Superb documentation and flight presentation; winner of RC Expert and Top Gun Invitational

Results and awards

  • RC Fun Scale: Robert Hayes (Baltimore, MD) — Extra 300
  • RC Sportsman: Robert Boswell (Hamburg, NJ) — F-4E Phantom (overall winner)
  • High static in RC Sportsman: Skip Board (Reston, VA) — Monocoupe 90A
  • RC Expert: Charley Nelson (Berlin, MA) — Waco (winner over Wayne Siewert)
  • High static in RC Expert: Wayne Siewert (Minneapolis, MN) — Porsche Turbo Mooney (top static score)
  • AMA Precision Scale: Irv Searl (Nashua, NH) — Ryan STA (winner)
  • FAI F4C: George Buso (Hyde Park, NY) — Nieuport 28-C1 (won FAI F4C and high static)

It was a weekend of outstanding craftsmanship, fine competition, and well-earned awards. Competitors, mechanics, officials, and crew all contributed to a successful National contest despite Saturday's weather interruptions.

Closing

The 1992 AMA National Aeromodeling Championships earned its place in modeling history. If you read about the event this year, consider attending next year in person—it’s far more rewarding than reading alone.

Build straight, and fly safely.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.