Radio Control: Scale
Jeff Troy
200 S. Spring Garden St. Ambler, PA 19002
Introduction
A thank you is in order to all of you who wrote or telephoned me regarding my SE-5a, pictured in the July RC Scale column. Model Aviation's publisher, Ross McMullen, casually asked me to include a few random photos with my opening article. The shots of the SE-5a were the only ones I could put my hands on quickly enough to appease him. Even though they were of a large-scale model, it seems those photos generated enough interest for me to impart some additional information and background about the model.
SE-5a: history and kit information
My one-third-scale Scout Experimental No. 5a (SE-5a) was built from a kit manufactured about ten years ago by an Ohio-based company called Air Design. A few years after the kit's release, Air Design was taken over by Avco Industries, who used to produce cockpit kits for many scale aircraft models, including Dave Platt's 1/5-scale fighters.
The gargantuan SE-5a was actually a twice-size scale-up of Top Flite Models' SE-5, designed by Dave Platt in the late sixties. I don't know whether Avco Industries ever produced the airplane kit after acquiring Air Design, but I do know Avco made several ABS-plastic accessories for the big SE-5a, including both Vickers and Lewis machine-gun kits, vented wire-wheel covers, and the neatest British WW-I pilot kit you ever saw—complete right down to Terry-Thomas' space between his two upper front teeth!
Unfortunately, this is where my background knowledge of the Air Design Scout Experimental kit ends. I have been unable to find any Air Design records in my files, and, even more unfortunate, it seems the gentleman from Avco Industries who might have had information passed away some years ago and the company is no longer in business.
If you would like to build this aeroplane, the practical solution is to find a friend with a set of plans left over from a Top Flite Models' kit, borrow them, and send them to Jim Peppa at Scale Plans and Photo Service for a double-size blowup. The only differences I can remember when comparing the two sets of plans are a built-up fin and rudder, and a steel tongue, nut, and bolt arrangement for the wing struts on the bigger Scout.
If you do decide to build one of these massive SE-5s, please drop me a photo or two and tell me how you liked the project. While you're at it, send a set of pictures to John A. de Vries as well—John writes Model Aviation's Giant Scale column, and that is where models of this size are supposed to be seen. I hope he will accept my public apology for accidentally muscling in on his territory. (I suppose I could always call the big Scout a "Fun scale" model to avoid any confusion.)
The aeroplane flew quite nicely and would make a guaranteed knockout project for almost any modeler of average building and flying skills.
Top Gun Invitational — Official Scorekeeper
Of all the wonderful things I am privileged to be a part of in the hobby industry, one of the most enjoyable has to be my position as Official Scorekeeper for Frank Tiano's Top Gun Invitational Scale meet. In a class all by itself, this meet is organized as no other model airplane contest I have ever seen; no words could describe this fabulous event more suitably than "first class."
As a contestant, one gets to Top Gun by invitation only. There are no request forms to fill out and no pitches for entry in the model magazines. If you're Top Gun material, there's a good chance that a letter of invitation may one day arrive at your mailbox. If you don't build or fly so well, the chances are better that no such letter will come. Top Gun is only for the best of the best, and nothing about the Top Gun Invitational is or ever will be average.
Don't let Top Gun's top-shelf image intimidate you; let it inspire you. None of us has to be a contest-minded modeler to enjoy building or flying a good scale model, but we can learn an awful lot by watching the best competitors over a long weekend. Inspiration is the best ingredient I can think of to get our workbench energy going (you should see the projects running through my brain after a week at Top Gun!).
Top Gun 1991
For 1991, Top Gun was held on the polo grounds of the Palm Beach Polo Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Frank Tiano figured if the field was good enough to host Prince Charles, it would probably be good enough for his airplane meet. Frank was correct. The field was magnificent; the grandstands held thousands of spectators. Food and merchandise concessions were laid out in style, and I must admit a personal preference for a country club's lavishly appointed, air-conditioned restrooms over a flushless porta-potty in a distant parking lot.
Contestants came from near and far, including:
- Denny DeWeese (Palm Beach)
- Andre Nougier (France)
- Eduardo Esteves (Brazil)
- David Toyer, Richard Crapp, Fred Beard, Richard Rawle, Peter Guiver (England)
- Steven Sauger, Bob Hanft, Skip Mast (FAI Team members)
- Bob Underwood (AMA Technical Director)
- Ron Gilman (1990 Top Gun Winner)
- Bob Violett (1990 2nd place)
- Rich Uravitch, Mark Frankel, Dennis Crooks, Nick Zirol (Jr. and Sr.), Bill Steffes, Charlie Chambers, Bob Fiorenze, Colonel Art Johnson (RCM), Chuck Fullert, Rick Lewis (California)
Two events are flown at Top Gun, each under special rules developed by the Top Gun Committee: Expert Sport Scale and Team Scale. Top Gun's rules are somewhat similar to those of R/C Sport Scale in the AMA rule book but many items are changed or clarified in recognition of the ultra-high level of skill expected from the contestants.
It took a full two days of static judging and two more days of sharply competitive flying to decide Top Gun '91's outcome.
Awards and results
- High Static Score: Kim Foster and Geoff Coombs — Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" (from the Proctor kit)
- Highest Flight Score (single): Charlie Chambers — "Big Beautiful Doll" metal-skinned P-51D Mustang
- Best Military Subject: Wayne Seiwert — Ki-84 "Frank"
- Best Civilian Subject: Corvin Miller — Globe Swift
- Technical Achievement Award: Mark Frankel — Team Scale Lear 35 (flown by Dennis Crooks)
- Pilot's Choice: Bill Steffes — Beech 18 Team entry (flown by Nick Zirol, Jr.)
Overall winners:
- Team Scale: Kim Foster and Geoff Coombs — Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny"
- Expert: Mel Whitley — Hawker Sea Fury
Top five finishers in Team Scale:
- Kim Foster / Geoff Coombs — Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny"
- Bill Steffes / Nick Zirol Sr. — Beech 18
- Patti Violett / Paul Schuessler — F-86
- Dennis Crooks / Mark Frankel — Lear 35
- Nick Zirol Jr. / Rich Uravitch — SNJ-SC
Expert Class top ten (second through tenth, in no particular order here as listed):
- Terry Nitch — F-86
- Ron Gilman — F-86
- Diego Lopez — Skyrader
- Charlie Chambers — P-51D
- Charlie Nelson — Waco
- Gene Barton — Skyraider
- Bob Violett — F-86
- Bob Fiorenze — F-18
- Corvin Miller — Globe Swift
Acknowledgments
Over four days of competition, a large number of scores needed to be added, double- and triple-checked. A sincere thank you is due to my good friend and Chief Assistant Scorekeeper, Doctor Alan Chenman of Somers Point, New Jersey, and to our five tireless, hard-working assistants:
- Al Kapper (Lake Worth, Florida)
- Ray Piescik (West Palm Beach, Florida)
- Janie Perkhaus (Lake Clarke Shores, Florida)
- Rick Perkhaus, Jr. (Lake Clarke Shores, Florida)
- Rick Perkhaus, Sr. (Lake Clarke Shores, Florida)
While I would never intentionally slight any other of the many fine scale contests across our country, if I had to pick a single RC scale contest to attend in any given year, it would have to be Frank Tiano's Top Gun Invitational. It's just like no other. Frank, my friend, thank you for showing us a job done right!
Closing
Keep your letters coming — I enjoy hearing from all of you. Build straight and fly safely. I'll talk with you again next month.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
