Top Gun

Top Gun

Stan Alexander

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida was the scene April 24–27 of the Ninth Annual Top Gun Invitational, directed by Frank Tiano and sponsored by the West Palm Beach Aero Club. Major sponsors were Pacer Technology, Robart Manufacturing, and Model Airplane News.

A contestant may enter a model for three years; after that it must be replaced. This keeps the field fresh and encourages pilots to build new models for the next event or to have a spare in case of mishap.

Competitors at the Palm Beach Polo Club came from as far as Canada, Germany, and South America. Ed Gutierrez and Pedro Serco came from Bolivia to compete in Team Scale at their first Top Gun. Their SNJ‑5 was built from Nick Ziroli plans over three years. The 101‑inch‑span, museum‑quality model was powered by a G‑62 engine.

Stephan Durrstein of Germany entered a new Fiber Classics kit prototype of the Junkers Ju 52. The 128‑inch‑span fiberglass model was powered by three British‑built Laser .70 engines.

An unofficial theme of this year’s Top Gun was “Heavy Metal.” There was an unusual concentration of WWII fighters and bombers flying off the grass polo field, including Pat McCurry’s Me 109 G‑6; Charlie Chambers’ P‑61 Black Widow; Nick Ziroli’s TBF Avenger; Greg Hahn’s and Hal Parenti’s B‑25s; Lee Rice’s Corsair; and Mike Barbee’s and George Maiorana’s B‑29s.

Contest weather played its hand during the week. For the first time, a round of flight competition was canceled because of rain on Saturday afternoon. Skies threatened all week, and a brisk crosswind during most of the competition meant many contestants used the crosswind runway.

Designer Scale was a new Top Gun class sponsored largely by Bob Walker and Robart Manufacturing Co. It adopted a similar Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) class in which the modeler must design and build the model. Contestants are specialized, multitalented designers and modelers.

In the inaugural Designer Scale event, Bob Underwood took top static score, 98.333, and finished sixth overall. U.S. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) team member Ramon Torres took first in Designer Scale with his Beechcraft T‑42A, the military version of the twin Beech. As with all Designer Scale entries, the Beechcraft was scratch‑built: take full‑scale manufacturer’s drawings or a published three‑view, calculate the desired scale, draw plans, form molds, turn parts, and build the model. Scratch‑built models can be very competitive in FAI Scale. Ramon later flew his Beechcraft to eighth place on the U.S. team at the 1996 World Championships.

Designer Scale second place went to Nick Ziroli Jr. with his Grumman “Iron Works” TBF Avenger. Nick grew up with scale models and has acquired his father’s plans business. Everything on the Avenger was functional except the torpedo: operational retracts, flaps, folding wings, scale‑hinged bomb‑bay doors, and an operational tail hook made it an extremely complex model.

There was a tie for first place in Designer Scale (189.958) after totaling flight and static scores. Top Gun tie‑break rules award ascendancy to the model with the highest aggregate flight score; by that rule Ramon squeaked past Nick, showing how close the competition can be. This may have been the first time Top Gun’s rule was used to break a tie.

Gifted scale builders often don’t fly their own creations, or they don’t have time to practice the piloting skills needed to compete at the international level. Team Scale pairs great builders with great pilots so the aircraft can perform at its best.

This year the DC‑3 of Geoff Combs (pilot) and builder Alvin Brown finished third in Team Scale. Their 126‑inch‑span model was powered by two Y.S. 91 four‑stroke engines and controlled by an Airtronics radio.

Finishing four points ahead of Combs/Brown, pilot Dave Patrick and builder Graeme Mears flew their 1/3‑scale Tiger Moth. This model took awards for Best Biplane and Best Two‑Stroke Performance; it is powered by a Moki 3.6. The detail, finish, and scale flight performance (even with the breezy crosswind) of this large, lightly loaded model were impressive.

This year’s Team Scale winners, pilot Bob Violett and builder Jerry Caudle, teamed with a Bob Violett Models F‑80 (TV‑1) to finish 0.267 ahead of Patrick/Mears. The BVM JPX turbine (propane‑powered) jet was very stable and quiet; flight performance was fast and impressive. The model had a 72‑inch wingspan, weighed 20 pounds, and featured retracts, flaps, wheel brakes, and a scale speed brake.

Several expert models had teething problems, which is common for scale entries. Lee Rice’s beautifully detailed Corsair (built from Bob Holman plans with bits from other sources) ground‑looped during the third round and sustained wing damage. The B‑29s also had issues: Mike Barbee’s 141‑inch‑span all‑balsa Expert entry (built from Don Smith plans and covered with fiberglass) suffered aileron flutter, and Skip Mast and George Maiorana’s Team Scale aircraft experienced engine problems with its four O.S. 40 four‑stroke engines. Expert modelers will overcome such glitches and return stronger.

Five of the top ten Expert class finishers were jets. Perennial third‑place flier Jeff Foley felt he had a chance to win this year, but a burned plug ended his last round prematurely. His T‑33 (Jet Model Products kit) had an 85‑inch wingspan, weighed 20 pounds, and was powered by an O.S. 91.

First‑time Top Gun competitor Randy Hansen came from Washington state to fly his Cessna AG Wagon. At 1/4‑scale with a 133‑inch wingspan, it handled the wind well. The AG Wagon featured an operational spray bar and dusting hopper, was powered by a G‑62, and used JR radio. Randy flew the highly detailed Cessna to second place, less than three points behind the winner.

Charlie Chambers is a veteran scale competitor known for his P‑51D Mustang built from a Dave Platt kit and covered with a sheet‑aluminum finish. This year he returned with a Northrop P‑61 Black Widow (built from Don Smith plans). The Black Widow was developed as a night fighter; the first prototype flew in May 1942 and total production was 691 units. According to Charlie, early production models didn’t have ailerons and used flaps and slats on the outboard upper wing surfaces to turn the aircraft. His later‑version model has small ailerons at the wingtips, with scale slats in the upper wing panels working in conjunction with the ailerons.

Charlie’s P‑61, at 1/8‑scale, had a 100‑inch wingspan and weighed 38 pounds. The large twin was powered by two Webra 1.2 two‑stroke engines. With the second‑highest static score of 97.750, Charlie flew this model to first place in the Expert class and collected a $1,000 cash prize and a cut‑crystal trophy for his efforts.

AMA was represented at its booth by Jay and Julie Mealy and Rae Underwood. The AMA Delta Dart program for children at the Polo Club show center was directed by Norm Rosenstock and Jay Mealy. Norm organized the program with the local club. More than 60 children participated; the Palm Beach Skyhawks, Inc. provided 15 volunteers who helped the kids build and fly the Darts during the halftime air show. Plans are underway for expansion of the program and for more activities for contestants and spectators.

Pacer Technology and Herschel Worthy deserve commendation for their support of Top Gun for the ninth year. Without them and other manufacturers and companies that invest sponsorship dollars into competitive scale modeling, events like this would not be possible.

Other sponsors included:

• Du‑Bro
• Vailly Aviation
• JR
• ZDZ Engines
• Moki Engines
• Hobby Hut
• Dave Platt Models
• Nick Ziroli Plans
• Frank Tiano Enterprises
• Bob Violett Models
• Don Smith Plans
• R/C Report
• Aero Tech
• Vendell Jeweler
• Turbomin
• Saito Engines
• ISC International
• Airtronics
• Lanier RC

Contestants, judges, and officials extend special thanks to the Palm Beach Aero Club, which handles many duties including running the flightlines.

Next year will be the Top Gun Invitational’s tenth anniversary. Frank Tiano has plans for special activities, and the event will be expanded from four to five days. Make your reservations for early April 1998.

Stan Alexander 3709 Valley Ridge Road Nashville, TN 37211

Top Gun 1997 Results

#### Expert

1. Charlie Chambers — P‑61B | Static: 97.750 | Flt 1: 87.875 | Flt 2: 92.875 | Flt 3: 92.125 | Total: 190.250
2. Randy Hansen — Cessna A‑188 | Static: 96.667 | Flt 1: 60.750 | Flt 2: 92.625 | Flt 3: 87.875 | Total: 186.917
3. Jeff Foley — T‑33A | Static: 96.917 | Flt 1: 91.250 | Flt 2: 88.375 | Flt 3: 54.000 | Total: 186.730
4. Terry Nitsch — F‑80 | Static: 95.333 | Flt 1: 89.000 | Flt 2: 91.000 | Flt 3: 91.250 | Total: 186.458
5. Kent Nogy — F‑4 Phantom | Static: 94.417 | Flt 1: 86.375 | Flt 2: 91.375 | Flt 3: 92.500 | Total: 186.355
6. Greg Hahn — B‑25J | Static: 94.667 | Flt 1: 90.375 | Flt 2: 87.875 | Flt 3: 91.875 | Total: 185.792
7. Jack Diaz — F‑4E Phantom | Static: 93.833 | Flt 1: 86.500 | Flt 2: 88.625 | Flt 3: 90.000 | Total: 183.146
8. Garland Hamilton — DT‑33B | Static: 95.583 | Flt 1: 85.625 | Flt 2: 89.250 | Flt 3: 0.000 | Total: 183.021
9. Brian O’Meara — Sea Fury | Static: 94.333 | Flt 1: 81.375 | Flt 2: 87.375 | Flt 3: 89.625 | Total: 182.833
10. Kim Foster — Sopwith Pup | Static: 97.833 | Flt 1: 85.625 | Flt 2: 83.250 | Flt 3: 84.250 | Total: 182.771

#### Designer Scale

1. Ramon Torres — Beech T‑42A | Static: 97.583 | Flt 1: 88.000 | Flt 2: 90.375 | Flt 3: 94.375 | Total: 189.958
2. Nick Ziroli Jr. — Avenger | Static: 98.083 | Flt 1: 86.000 | Flt 2: 90.500 | Flt 3: 93.250 | Total: 189.958
3. Corvin Miller — Swift | Static: 95.333 | Flt 1: 89.375 | Flt 2: 95.250 | Flt 3: 92.375 | Total: 189.146
4. Pat McCurry — Me 109G‑6 | Static: 96.833 | Flt 1: 88.375 | Flt 2: 90.625 | Flt 3: 87.250 | Total: 186.333
5. Charlie Nelson — WACO VKS‑7F | Static: 96.917 | Flt 1: 89.000 | Flt 2: 88.375 | Flt 3: 88.625 | Total: 185.730
6. Bob Underwood — Hyperbipe | Static: 98.333 | Flt 1: 77.625 | Flt 2: 85.375 | Flt 3: 89.125 | Total: 185.583
7. Bud Roane — Sopwith Triplane | Static: 95.167 | Flt 1: 80.625 | Flt 2: 87.000 | Flt 3: 87.375 | Total: 182.355
8. Hal Parenti — B‑25J | Static: 91.750 | Flt 1: 90.000 | Flt 2: 89.500 | Flt 3: 90.250 | Total: 181.875
9. Nick Ziroli Sr. — P‑38 | Static: 90.917 | Flt 1: 84.625 | Flt 2: 88.125 | Flt 3: 0.000 | Total: 177.292
10. Richard Feroldi — Albatros DV | Static: 94.000 | Flt 1: 81.125 | Flt 2: 83.375 | Flt 3: 0.000 | Total: 176.250

#### Team Scale

1. Violett/Caudle — TV‑1 | Static: 96.300 | Flt 1: 85.125 | Flt 2: 89.875 | Flt 3: 92.375 | Total: 187.425
2. Patrick/Mears — Tiger Moth | Static: 95.283 | Flt 1: 90.125 | Flt 2: 93.625 | Flt 3: 87.000 | Total: 187.158
3. Combs/Brown — DC‑3 | Static: 94.667 | Flt 1: 83.375 | Flt 2: 86.875 | Flt 3: 89.875 | Total: 183.042
4. Tiano/Steffes — P‑38 | Static: 93.517 | Flt 1: 87.875 | Flt 2: 90.375 | Flt 3: 87.125 | Total: 182.642
5. Buran/D’Onofrio — WACO YKS‑7 | Static: 92.583 | Flt 1: 84.625 | Flt 2: 80.500 | Flt 3: 89.500 | Total: 179.646
6. Elias/Richardson — T‑33A | Static: 94.833 | Flt 1: 90.625 | Flt 2: 79.000 | Flt 3: 80.500 | Total: 179.646
7. Labonte/Flanagan — Harvard Mk IV | Static: 91.267 | Flt 1: 87.375 | Flt 2: 86.500 | Flt 3: 87.375 | Total: 178.642
8. Boswell/Frankel — T‑34 | Static: 91.750 | Flt 1: 85.125 | Flt 2: 65.500 | Flt 3: 87.875 | Total: 178.250
9. Pinegar/Alfafara — J‑3 Cub | Static: 91.733 | Flt 1: 82.875 | Flt 2: 84.125 | Flt 3: 83.625 | Total: 175.608
10. Mast/Maiorana — B‑29 | Static: 94.327 | Flt 1: 79.125 | Flt 2: 82.125 | Flt 3: 0.000 | Total: 174.952

Top Gun Awards

• High Static Designer: Bob Underwood — Hyperbipe
• High Static Expert: Kim Foster — Sopwith Pup
• High Static Team Scale: Jerry Caudle — F‑80
• Best Civilian: Randy Hansen — AG Wagon
• Best Jet: Kent Nogy — F‑80
• Best Military: Nick Ziroli Jr. — Avenger
• Critics' Choice: Pat McCurry — Me 109G‑6
• Best Jet Performance: Terry Nitsch — F‑80
• Best Two‑Stroke Performance: Graeme Mears — Tiger Moth
• Best Four‑Stroke Performance: Bob Underwood — Hyperbipe
• Best Gas Performance: Greg Hahn — B‑25
• Best Multi Performance: Wayne Knight — C‑47
• Best Aerobatic Performance: Kim Foster — Sopwith Pup

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