Top Dawg scale fly-in

Model Airplane News, Apr 2002 by Reid, John

Scale

The sun was just cresting above the hills to the east of Johnson Field in Palomar, CA, as the Palomar RC Flyers opened the field for the Top Dawg 2001 scale fly-in. field on Labor Day weekend, by 6 a.mI. oil Saturday, the parking lot was already crowded with cars. This was the first event that I ever attended where the spectators arrived before the participants! During the next two days, approximately 1,000 people were treated to a first-- class scale competition that included a swap meet and a pancake breakfast.

Sixty-four planes and 5 1 participants from all over California, Arizona and Mexico attended this premier two-day event. This scale fly-in featured four classes of competition, but the relaxed atmosphere made it seem more like it casual fun-fly. After the pilots' meeting, the planes took to the air. One after another, the scale planes queued up: biplanes, "WW I and II combat planes, modern-day fighter planes and it a wide assortment of civilian aircraft. All participants flew as often as possible so as to score points with the judges, spectators and other pilots, and for a chance to take home one of the many merchandise and cash prizes.

The class of the field was Chuck Brooks' 1/4-scale Havilland Tiger Moth. Chuck's 88.inch bipe earned him the Best Scale Flight, Pilots, Choices and People's Choice awards. He fully detailed cockpit, realistic rigging and beautiful point job were Irresistible.

Left: this 57-inch-wingspan Liberty Sport was built and flown by Kenny Kear of Mesa, AZ, and is a nearly exact replica of a full-- size plane owned by his father. Above: Curtis Kitteringham was in charge of the flightline at Top Dawg 2001, so he didn't have free time to fly. Though perfectly capable of flight, his beautiful B-25 was instead entered in static competition. It features working gear and bomb-bay doors.

This 101-inch-span Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber was a standout among the warbirds at Top Dawg. Don Guliher built this superbly detailed model from a Nick Ziroli plan.

A highlight was Doug Cronkhite's aerobatic demonstration with his beautiful 40-percent Edge 540, powered by a Desert Aircraft twin.

THE PLANES

Some exceptional biplanes took to the sky. Among them was a 99.9-percent-scale Lloyd Liberty Sport biplane scratch-built by Kenny Kear of Mesa, AZ, patterned after a full-size plane once owned by his father. Ken Perkins of Lakeside, AZ, flew a 70-inch Sopwith Camel, and he also displayed a 60-inch Sparrowhawk biplane at the static exhibit. Others included an S-1 Pitts and an Ultimate biplane that were flown by Manuel Suarez Jr. of Ensenada, Mexico.

Planes from WW II were also well represented. The field included a Zero, two P-47s, a Supermarine Spitfire, a PT-19, two P-Sls (a D and a K), an RU Corsair, a Curtis P-40, a P-39 Airacobra and an outstanding 101-inch-span Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber. Three iha-scale Zeros flew superb formation-staying in formation even during takeoff and landing.

The ducted-fan planes' aerobatics and low-altitude flybys were big crowd pleasers. Mark Padilla put his 45-inch-span A-4 Skyhawk through many scale maneuvers and low flybys during his flight. Tony Kameen flew a very nice F-15E Strike Eagle and also entered his nicely detailed F-4 Phantom in the static display.

By far, the scale aerobatic planes elicited the most "Ohhhs" and "Ahhhs" from the crowd. Doug Cronkhite of San Diego, CA, flew a 40-percent Edge 540 powered by a Desert Aircraft 150cc twin. He performed maneuvers that I had not believed possible; his spectacular tumbling feats seemed effortless.

RESULTS

After two terrific days of flying and flaunting the intricate details of scale planes, winners had to be selected. This was, after all, a competition, although you wouldn't have been able to tell by the relaxed atmosphere; the fliers and spectators wore smiles all weekend. When the votes were tallied, Chuck Brooks of Tucson, AZ, came out on top. He had impressed everyone with his 1/4-scale, 88-inch-span de Havilland Tiger Moth that featured full cockpit detail, realistic rigging and bright yellow paint. Judged by an anonymous panel (a subjective consensus), Chuck won Best Scale Flight. He also won the Pilots' Choice award (selected by the pilots), and the People's Choice Award (voted on by all spectators). Chuck took home $250, three plaques, a Dynaflite giant scale Piper Cub kit and a Sirius Charger.

The award that pilots didn't want to receive was the one for the "Most Spectacular Crash." Unfortunately, Dennis O'Conner captured it with a dramatic crash on a flyby; a switch cover came off his F6-F Hellcat during a bombing run. The plane was totaled, but as a consolation for the carnage, Dennis took home a Hitec radio and a plaque. Each participating pilot received a Top Dawg T-shirt and a free lunch on Saturday. Prizes weren't limited to the participants; in a spectator raffle, the Palomar RC Flyers gave away a fully equipped trainer. The Top Dawg Event had 41 sponsors who supplied prizes worth almost $4,000.

If you're looking for a scale event to compete in for the first time, or if you just want to relax, watch good flying and admire fine scale planes, the 2002 Top Dawg scale fly in will be the place to be. For more information, see the Palomar RC Flyers' website at www.palomarflyers.com.