MCRCS Dawn Patrol Day

Dawn Patrol Day 2008

If You Can't Stand the Heat ...

Biplane wind sock
Brian Bunda thought the event warranted a more fitting wind sock.

Brian Bunda's Nieuport 17
Brian could hardly contain his enthusiasm to join his comrades in the air.

Keith Zimmerly's Nieuport
Similarly, Keith Zimmerly could hardly wait to get into a dogfight ...

... but this day was instead dogged by engine trouble.

Starting the Junkers
Seth Hunter started his freshly repaired Junkers ...

Junkers in trees
... and demonstrated that it hadn't entirely lost its affinity for trees.

Armand Graziani's Nieuport 17
Armand Graziani's Italian Nieuport 11 is a steady performer at these events.

Augie Lucidi's Pup
Although there weren't a lot of Pups, the big A distinguished this one as Augie's.

Ric DeBastos' Eindecker
Ric DeBastos' newly acquired Eindecker had an exciting maiden flight, cut short by elevator flutter.

Bob Levanduski's Fokker
This left Bob Levanduski and his DR.1 as one of two pilots representating the Axis.

Dan Geerders' Spitfire
Although no one could identify this as a WWI model, Dan Geerders assured all present that it was a late entry in the conflict.

Formation
It's not really a dogfight if you're both on the same side.

Seth's tail gunner added a new dimension to dogfighting.

The engine somewhat questionable for flight, Keith figured this was a good day for a sound test.

Sound Record
Now was that with one cylinder firing or two?

Maybe it's global warming. Or maybe it's just the middle of July. But whatever the reason, as was the case with the Family Picnic, Dawn Patrol Day on July 20th was a scorcher--Almost no wind and a temperature of 95°.

It would be heartening to say that the heat failed to diminish the intrepid spirit of the Dawn Patrol, the WWI modelers of the Mercer County club. Alas, this was not the case and, where we'd hoped to see upwards of a couple dozen WWI models, the actual count was in the single digits.

The day started out a bit slower than some events, Keith Zimmerly's Nieuport 17 being the only WWI model ready to fly at 9:00. And even it proved somewhat temperamental, one of the cylinders of its 3W78 failing to fire reliably. But by 10:00, it had begun to look like an event. Keith's Nieuport was in the air, along with several others.

And there were some test flights. Seth Hunter returned to the field with his Junkers, freshly repaired from its previous landing near the top of a tree (a landing that took a greater toll on Seth's frame than that of the Junkers). And like Keith's experience, Seth's engine wasn't developing full power. Unfortunately, Seth was low over the corn and headed for the trees at the south end of the field when he discovered it. But, having improved his depth perception after the previous flight, Seth was able to guide the Junkers through a low-altitute turn skimming the branches on the sides of the trees and gently land on the field. A few adjustments and he was back in the air, this time without the bent wing and sprained back.

The excitement wasn't over, though. Keith Zimmerly offered to test fly Ric DeBastos' Eindecker, a model Ric had purchased from a builder just days before. The meticulously detailed model hopped easily into the air, but quickly developed a severe case of elevator flutter. Fortunately, Keith was able to slow the model immediately, before the elevator failed, which would most certainly have resulted in a spectacular crash. Ric took the Eindecker home to tighten the pull-pull linkages that presumably caused the problem.

There wasn't a lot of dogfighting going on. It's difficult to say whether that was because the Allies so outnumbered Axis pilots, or because key Allied pilot(s) had engine trouble. Most attacks appeared to be on the Junkers, possibly because it lacked the agility of the DR.1 and made it a better target. In a real fight, of course, the rear-facing gunner might have evened the odds.

It was, nevertheless, exciting to watch the models fly, even if they weren't fighting. There's something about a sky filled with biplanes (and the occasional monoplane) that makes one forget they're just models. And that this is just a sport.

Our event also attracted veteran network news videographer Allan Schear, who recorded key happenings of the day. His video short is available for viewing on YouTube. (By way of full disclosure, Allan is no longer with the networks, but is in the process of becoming a member of our club. Welcome, Allan.)