OK, I did compete in the Unlimited Scale contest on September 26th, but did so badly that I was embarrassed to post about it.  For continuity's sake I may as well get it over with.

The contest was, indeed, held outdoors at Stonehurst.  It really was a beautiful morning, clear, and only a slight breeze.  The wind held off until 11:00 AM.  Eight people flew but there were 13 models.  Amazingly enough, Bill Watson brought only one entry.  Dave Gee brought a Dumas T-34 and a Clipped Wing Monocoupe.  Barry Dougherty brought a Piper Cub as did Bill Watson and Don Butman who brought two and a peanut Pilatus Porter.  Don Smith had a Comet Porterfield.  Don Martin showed up with a Guillow's Cessna 180 and Hugh Lnaghans ahd an Aeronca Champ.  I had nothing new to fly my SE5 being framed but uncovered (I did start the covering at the AMA EXPO but that's a post of another thread.) so I took a couple of my Beaver prototypes and a Pilatus Porter prototype down from the ceiling and put fresh rubber in them.

The strange thing was that with all the experience there and good weather everyone was having trouble getting anything to fly.  It was nearly the end of the session when models started flying.  Scale judging was a Mooney linup

The results were:

1. Dave Gee                Monocoupe                                 101.2 seconds  (includesl 16 scale points)
2.  Don Smith              Porterfield                                   96.1 seconds  (10 points)
3.  Bill Watson             Piper Cub                                    62.0 seconds  (14 points)
4.  Don Butman            Pilatus Porter                               59.7 seconds   (6 points)
5.  Barry Daugherty      Piper Cub                                    46.8 seconds   (15 points)
6.  Don Martin             Cessna 180                                  46.1 seconds   (12 points)
7.  Howard Littman       Beaver (U-6B)                              38.7 seconds   (8 points)
8. Hugh Langhans        Aeronca                                      36.8 seconds   (4 points)

My Porter and one of my Beavers ended up cartwheeling in and tearing their wings off.  Should have left them on the ceiling. Six years ago, when they were built, I could get a minute out of them.  Oh, Well!

I did not go to the Mini-Stick contest on October 31.  It was Halloween and I had to put up the decorations before the Trick-or-Treating started.  No one gave me any pictures or any times.
  The results were:

[li]1. Bill Watson
2. Bill Watson  (With so few entries the CD decided to let both of his count.)
3. Jim Leuken
4.Bud Matthews
5.Don Butman
[/li]

The next contest, No-Cal Scale, will be on November 28.  With the Pearl Harbor No-Cal contest coming up on December 7 I expect that there will be many Pearl Harbor models at this contest.

We did not have an  O.F.F.C. meeting this week.  Don, our president, could not contact any of the three venues we have on the phone to confirm availability.  We are still searching for a venue for next week's Unlimited Scale contest.  Panorama is unsuitable being the smallest venue we fly in since some of the indoor scale ships have 30 inch wing spans and do not turn that tight, and it has a really fierce air conditioning system that we cannot shut off for the contest.  The floor replacement at Stonehurst is progressing slower than predicted and painting the markings on the new floor may still be in progress next week.  We have not yet heard if Branford will be available.  We have approached the CD, Bill Watson, with the possibility of having the contest outdoors at Stonehurst or postponing it again.  Will post the decision by Tuesday.

For the month of August the O.F.F.C. was a club in search of a venue. We were chased from the Stonehurst Rec Center because the gym floor was being replaced. The first two meetings were held outdoors, under the trees, on the Stonehurst field. This did not provide an environment for trimming an A6. Thanks to the efforts of Don Martin and Kathy Mader from the Seniors Programs at the Parks Department we were able to hold the next two meetings at the Branford Park gym. Then we were barred from there because that gym floor was being refinished. So, effort was made again and we held the A6 contest at the Panorama Park rec center, probably the smallest venue we have held a contest.

The results were:
1. Bill Watson     272 seconds
2. Pete Basone   206.8
3. Jim Leuken     182.5
4. Don Butman   148.3
Howard Littman was the CD and along with Kurt Young and John Buntin did the timing.

The next meeting will be on September 5th and, as far as we know, will be at the Panorama Park rec center, 8600 Hazeltine Ave, Panorama City.

We had another outdoor meeting today.  It was too breezy to fly anything not radio controlled so while we sat under the trees and had the meeting we were entertained by Ira Ratner with two RC foamies a T-28 and a Cessna and by Bill Watson with his Jetstream glider.  He is a master at Hy-start launches.

More later,

July 25th was the O.F.F.C. Dime Scale Contest, or as the CD, Joe Whiting says, 9 Cent Scale, due to the relaxed rules.  In this case, it was judging only for extra points, 5 points for low wing, 10 points for biplane, and an extra 10 points for ROG. The contest was for best single flight of unlimited tries,  The model had to have a maximum 16” wing span, be made of only 1/16” stock and be a “recognizable scale” model of an aircraft that flew before 1945.  Reproduction dime scale models with additional plastic parts were allowed, (“Sure, if they don’t mind the extra weight, let them fly.” Joe)

Only five members had models ready for the event.  That was partially because we were not sure it was going to happen since the refinishing of the gym floor was supposed to commence on the 25th. Even with only five entrants there were nine models flown.  The outside temperature was 110°(F) so the air conditioning was on full in the room. The turbulent air made for some interesting flights and despite the small number of contestants it was fun to watch.

Results:  (Only best flying models of multiple entries counted.)

1,   Joe Whiting      Howard DGA           56.7
2.   Bill Watson       Wiley Post Biplane   50.3
3.   Don Butman     Farman Moustique   40.0
4.   Don Smith        Rearwin Speedster  17.4
5.   John Buntin      J-3 Cub                  12.3

Will Woods recorded times.  Kurt Young and Howard Littman did the timing.

June was the two contest month for the O.F.F.C., Spot Landing/Predicted Time and Penny Plane.

Spot Landing/Predicted Time is the only outdoor contest in the O.F.F.C. schedule.  There was an interesting selection of models flown from Guillow's slip-togethers to scratch built models done just for the competition. I put a new motor stick on my Crash Box Special but didn't get a chance to test it before the contest day. I arrived late after dropping my grandson off at Cooking Camp (He didn't want to go to Science Camp this year.) and the wind was up.  The best I could do was 5th in both Spot Landing (49 feet on a 50 foot max) and 2 seconds off my predicted time.  This year you didn't just call out your time at launch, you had to write your time on the tally board before you took your model out to the field for an attempt.  Five attempts were allowed.

I've attached the pages on the contests from the July Black Sheep Newsletter for photos and details.  There is a picture of my model riding a thermal at the outdoor contest, I got it a bit too high going for a 36 second time.  The end of that flight is shown by the photo I posted.

And, a few more pictures from the P-18 Contest.

The timing table with Kurt Young timing, Barry Dougherty (CD) recording, and Bud Matthews kibitzing.

Pete Basone's little corner of the gym getting his model ready.

Jim Leuken assisting Bill Watson winding his model.

At today's O.F.F.C. meeting the question of the P-18s for the contest being built "to plan" was settled.  Stan gave out the official rules and they specified the North Pacific prop and front end "with no upgrades".  Dave Gee surprised everyone by supplying, from his amazing stash, a new, unused, North Pacific front end to everyone who said they were going to fly in the contest.  I do have some in my "stash" but they are all used and a bit sloppy.  This will ensure as level a playing field for this contest as can be had!

Error in my last post...Stan Christopher did not fly in the Legal Eagle contest.  Someone entered his name on the score sheet, with an insulting 7 seconds, and I did not question it.  My apologies to Stan!