TOP GUN '04

Model Airplane News, Aug 2004 by Yarrish, Gerry

Wold-class at its best! BY GERRY YARRISH

Held from April 28 through May 2, Top Gun 2004 was a grand showcase for some of the most impressive scale aircraft from around the world. Contestants from all over the country as well as from Argentina, Brazil, England, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Venezuela made this year's scale invitational truly an international event. Top Gun continues to be popular with pilots because it is always being tweaked and improved. This year, a new category-the Pro/Am class-was introduced specifically to increase contestant participation. Unlike the other three classes (Masters, Expert and Team), models flown in Pro/Am do not fall under the "Builder-of-the-Model" rule (pilots don't have to be the builders of the models they fly). Pro/Am rounds were flown on Thursday and Friday, and the top 15 pilots went on to compete in the final rounds on Sunday. As usual, four rounds were flown on Saturday and Sunday for Expert, Masters and Team. The best three out of four flight scores were tabulated and added to the model's static score to determine final scores.

When you boil it all down, the pilots and the airplanes make Top Gun the event that it is. The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (home of the EAA full-scale Sun 'n Fun Fly-In) is a scale pilot's dream; whether you want a long strip of tarmac or a grass runway, Top Gun has it covered. As usual, the competition this year was very close, and the level of expertise shown by all the builders and pilots is the highest you see anywhere. From turbine jets and multi-engine bombers to WW I and II fighters and classic civilian aircraft, there's something to satisfy everyone.

All those associated with making Top Gun such a successful modeling venue, including the static and flight judges, the score-keepers and the members of the Imperial RC Club, deserve a big "Well done!" For more information on Top Gun, check the FTE website at franktiano.com.

FIRST PLACE PRO/AM CLASS

The Pro/Am was created for pilots who fly aircraft that are no longer allowed to compete at Top Gun because of the 3-year rule and that they didn't build themselves. It gives guys a chance to compete without having their planes static-judged. You are awarded a flat 25 points if you supply any proof that the aircraft existed in the particular color scheme you've chosen! Next year, the class will actually be subdivided into Pro's and Amateurs-similar to Expert and Novice classes at other events. The Novice class will be open to those who have never flown at Top Gun and those who have flown but who finished in the lower 50 percent, As a result, more pilots will be able to compete, and more aircraft will be on display for the public to enjoy.

The winner of the Pro/Am class was Top Gun veteran and last year's "Mr. Top Gun," Jeff Foley, with his 86-inch-span, scratch-built Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4 powered by a Moki 2.10 glow engine.

FIRST PLACE TEAM

Graeme Mears/Dave Patrick PA-18 Super Cub

No strangers to the winners' circle, builder Graeme Mears and pilot Dave Patrick captured the first-place slot in Team Scale with Graeme's nearly perfect Piper PA-18. Powered by a Moki 3.6ci twin-cylinder engine and controlled with Futaba radio gear, the 1/3-scale Super Cub has a 141-inch span and weighs 48 pounds. Graeme used ModelCAD to draw his own plans and to duplicate every nut, bolt, washer and pulley in his model, and that includes its metal fuselage-tube construction, scale control systems and rigging. Its landing gear alone is a masterpiece of scale replication.

Graeme's Super Cub earned a nearly perfect Static score of 99.667-the highest Static score overall.

FIRST PLACE EXPERT "MR. TOP GUN"

Terry Nitsch F-100F Super Sabre

Using a BVM F-100F Super Sabre, Terry Nitsch earned the title of "Mr. Top Gun"! Not only did he win first place in Expert, but Terry also took home the High Static award (Expert class) and the Runner-Up Critics' Choice award. His 70-inch "Stretched Hun" is powered by an AMT 450 turbine engine and is beautifully finished in the colors of Dean Cutshall's full-size F-100F Super Sabre, Dean thrills the crowd with his low-level, asphalt-scorching afterburner flybys at Terry's "Heart of Ohio Jet Scramble"!

FIRST PLACE

MASTERS' CLASS

Bob Violett, F-100F Super Sabre

When it comes to scale jets, everyone knows Bob Violett. Bob used his own Bob Violett Models twin-cockpit F-100F Super Sabre to win the Masters' class. Bob's model is built from a BVM kit, and it's powered by an AMT 450 turbine engine. Equipped with JR radio gear, the 1/7-scale Super Sabre has a 70-inch span, weighs 36 pounds and is finished with Pro Mark markings and Metal-Kote paint. With so many beautiful scale details, there's little wonder that Bob took the Masters' class top slot!