2013 Building Contest
Sunday, May 5th


2013 BUILDING CONTEST

By Joe Raimondo

On May 5, 2013 the Mercer County Radio Control Club held their Annual Building Contest in conjunction with Opening Day at the club field. Member participation was good. There were 8 people who entered the contest this year. Two classes were represented, with (5) airplanes in scale and (3) in non-scale. Two long standing members, Jim Meighan and John Tanzer, also entered the contest this year. Jim brought out his 1929 Fleet bi-plane. Jim worked on this airplane well over a year and was superbly built. This airplane had a “Saito” 5 cylinder radial engine and you should have heard the sound this engine made. It was great to see this airplane fly. John Tanzer scratch built an early 1920 Snyder-McGreey bi-plane that was electric powered. Our club president, Keith Zimmerly had his giant scale “Nieuport 28”. This airplane looked like the real thing in the air and his landings were as smooth as silk.

We had great flying weather with over 1/3 third of the membership turning out for this annual event. We had free hot dogs, hamburgers and refreshments to help make this opening day a success. You should have been there!

Photos & Captions

By Mark Hiestand

                           
Jim Meighan with his ¼ scale 1929 Fleet Biplane powered by a Saito 5-cylinder radial engine.      Jim’s entry weighs 24 pounds and took him 15 months to build.Fleet Biplane cockpit. Nice instrument panel detail!
Rich Stryesky next to his Goldberg Extra 300, nicknamed “The Bumblebee”.  Rich’s entry is covered in Coverite fabric and powered by an O.S. 1.20 4-stroke engine.The Bumblebee ready for the qualifying flight
Brian Hoffman holds the 1952 DeBolt Trainer he built from an original kit. It is covered in Esaki yellow, blue and red silk and coated with clear Sig paint.  This retro trainer is powered by an original 1965 Super Tigre .23 engine from the Joe Bride Estate.   The plane weighs in at 3 pounds and took 1 year to completeBrian describes the model as an original slow and unresponsive trainer and kids that the transmitter is “only a suggestion” 
Close-up of the 1965 .23 Super Tigre engineJohn Tanzer with his one-of-a-kind 1920 Snyder-McGreedy “Baby Bomber”. This is a copy of the original, scratch built from plans drawn by John.  It has a 58 inch wingspan and is powered by a Hacker T- 50 electric motor with gear reduction drive that spins an 18 inch prop.
Check out the trailing edge detail on the control surfaces.Keith Zimmerly’s ½ scale Nieuport 28 with Swiss markings. The plans for this “huge” model were drawn and scaled from the original by Keith and then scratch built from those plans. The plane is powered with a DA-170 engine, swings a 36x10 prop and has fully functioning, shock absorbing landing gear, also designed by Keith. This is a one-of-a kind aircraft and one of the largest R/C planes in the country.
That looks like one battle-worn pilot!  Vickers machine gun designed and scratch built by Augie Lucidi.Tom Dyl with is Great Planes F-4 Phantom.   This jet fighter was built from an all-wood kit and has a plastic rear section.  The fuselage and wings are fiber glassed and coated with epoxy paint.  It has retractable gear, flaperons, a tank drop, a Perry Pump and is powered by a Super Tigre 90 engine with an O.S. 70 carb.  Tom’s entry swings a 13x7 prop and weighs 13 pounds.  Tom was having some technical problems at this point and not too happy.

Problems solved!! Tom’s happy.
Seth Hunter with his “Hunter Special”.  This plane was designed by Seth.  It is a mid-wing sport-pattern airplane with a conventional rudder plus two front canard rudders. It is powered by an O.S. 120AX and includes programmed air brakes and flaperons.
Seth took some ribbing about the front canard rudders but this plane flies beautifully and can flat turn on a dime. Carl Gubkin with his Pete n’ Poke, modified to a low-wing 30’s style racer. The wings were lengthened about 4 inches and Carl used a plastic pitcher to form the cowl.  The model is powered by an inverted Super Tiger .46 engine.  This plane suffered a “hard landing” at last year’s Building Contest due to an electrical problem but it has been re-built and flew well this year.

Building Rules!

2012 Event!

Back to Top