October Amesbury Meet Changed to 1 Day Only!

Saturday October 7 FAC Meet at Woodsom Farm, Amesbury

Be there!


            Click to Enlarge Images

Snoopy is back at the controls of Steve’s new Primary Glider!
Steve E. has built another Megow Primary Glider to replace the one that flew away at the September meet

Heads Up Flyers!


ALERT!  The Woodsom Farm free flight model airplane meet previously scheduled for two days October 7-8 has been downsized to a one day meet on Saturday Oct 7, 2023. 

Events have been consolidated such that the contest will take place entirely on Saturday 10/7/2023.  Check out the updated Contest Flyer for all the details.

The October 7 roster includes all of the usual scale and endurance events.  We’ll be flying towline scale again, so bring along your gliders.  We expect to see a few new models including clubster Steve E’s new Megow Primary Glider.  Yep, Snoopy’s back at the controls and will be looking to repeat his win at the September Woodsom Farm meet.   

There’s still plenty of time to build your own Primary Glider for the October 7 meet.  It only takes a couple days to get one of these done.  Download the free plan below and bring it along to Woodsom Farm on 10/7.  The club will provide winches for flyers to use at the meet along with some quick guidance on how to tow your model to altitude.

See you at the field skysters!

Download Megow Primary Glider full size construction plan

 

Aug Amesbury Meet Results – Sept 9 Meet Next Up!

Saturday Sept 9 FAC Meet at Woodsom Farm, Amesbury

Be there!


            Click to Enlarge Images

Sept 9 Amesbury Meet Flyer (click to enlarge)
Two Richards at Woodsom Farm showing off their models
Steve K and Lulu glider at the Woodsom Farm August meet
The Pelatowski Stork – look for a free Plan Download here soon!
Sam B won the Goodyear Mass Launch event with his Little Gem
Final heat in the National Air Race mass launch event

Towline Event FUN!


Saturday August 26 dawned wet with the promise of rains to come through the day.  With seemingly better weather coming, the meet was pushed to the next day.  Sure enough it rained hard Sunday morning, but a stalwart group of flyers showed up at Woodsom Farm and waited it out.  Yep, the skies proceeded to clear yielding a nice flying day with afternoon sun and thermals.   Don’t trust the weatherman – better to show up and be ready to fly.

At least three new Megow Primary Gliders showed up.  The towline winches were brought out and soon gliders were going up high over the newly hayed field.  Clubster Steve E. led the pack from the beginning, his Snoopy-piloted Megow Primary putting up long flights.  He capped off the win with a massive flyaway 5 min+ flight into the late summer clouds!  Alas, no pics of the high-flying Primary were taken before it went OOS.  Perhaps Steve will build another. 

We’ll be flying the Towline Scale event again at the Sept 9 Woodsom Farm meet in Amesbury, MA.  Come and see what it’s all about!

Steve K brought his nostalgic Lulu towline glider and flew it several times.  Fitted with a mechanical DT and Auto-rudder, Lulu showed the gang what a fully-fitted out towliner can do.  Word is FAC GHQ is considering a new event for these classic non-scale gliders. 

Towliners are Fun!

 

The Pinkham Stick event was flown once more and sure enough Steve E copped this event again.  His canard Goose got the win, but his new Stick model, the Stork,  developed with FAC veteran Ed Pelatowski, finished a close second.  Plans for the Pelatowski Stork will be offered for free download on this site soon.  Keep your eyes peeled for it’s release skyster.  And congrats to Steve’s double-Kanone day at the August Woodsom Farm meet!

Remember there’s another Flying Aces Club free-flight model airplane meet coming up on September 9 at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury MA.  Full Flyer with Directions and Contacts HERE.

Fall is the best time to fly rubber-p0wered model airplanes outside and the season will pass by quickly.  Don’t miss an opportunity to fly, or check out the action on this big beautiful field!

Latecoere Rescue & June 24 Ipswich Meet

Fly at the Pony Express Field in Ipswich, MA on Saturday June 24!


            Click to Enlarge Images

John K. came with a trunkload of models. The near-finished Howard Ike racer from the Cleveland Plan shows a lot of promise!
Rick P and his Flying Aces Flea rubber sport and duration model. Love that color scheme!
Sam B. with his SuperCapacitor powered Dumas Aeronca Champion
Vance G’s beautiful Latecoere 26-2 before being treed in Durham
Flying Aces Scale and GHQ Peanut Scale results from the Jun 11 Durham meet..
Vance G’s Latecoere teeters at the end of a 50ft retrieval pole. Model was brought down to the ground with minimal damage.

Air/Tree Rescue in Durham!


Free flight model airplanes and trees.  An inevitable combination. 

But first, remember there’s another meet coming up June 24 in beautiful Ipswich, MA.  Check the Flyer HERE for Directions and key contacts.

OK, back to Pinkham Field in Durham on June 11.  The weather in the morning was near-perfect, with light and variable breezes.  Many high and long flights were put up.

The breeze picked up by afternoon, however, and Vance G had only to get one more official flight in on his Latecoere 26 FAC Scale model.  The inverted flight time scoring should give it an edge against higher bonus point models.  Unfortunately, the wind carried the Latecoere off course and it was last seen disappearing into the top of a tree at the edge of the field.   The famed Stott Air-Tree Rescue Service sprang into action. 

The youthful eyes of William S spotted the Latecoere deep in branches and leaves 50 feet up an un-climbable tree.   The outlook for recovery was bleak.

Paul S broke out the old aluminum pole and, aided by Tom N, began bolting the telescoping sections together.  The fully extended pole  was snaked between branches eventually reaching the model.  A superzoom camera was used to guide the hook on the pole tip directly underneath the model.   A gentle arms-length push and incredibly, the model was lifted out the topside of the tree.  Retrieval still looked doubtful.

Vance weighed his options as the model swayed back and forth on the whippy tip of the pole.  He trusted the team.   With Tom holding the base, Paul used both hands and all his strength to pull the pole out of the branches.  Miraculously, the pole came out of the tree and the model mostly held together.  The Latecoere was mercifully released from the tip as the pole was brought to the ground.  An exhale of relief and laughter – the Stott Air-Tree Rescue Service had come through again!

Stuff like this is what makes the Flying Aces Club great.

Check out the sidebar pics for more on the June Durham meet.

See you at the Pony Express Field in Ipswich on June 24!

 

Waywayanda Meet Pics & June Meet Flyers

See you at the Sunday June 11 (Durham, CT) and Saturday June 24 (Ipswich, MA) Contests!


            Click to Enlarge Images

Contest Director Matt K retrieves his Embryo model on his motorbike
Sam B launches his electric supercapacitor powered ducted fan scale model
Vance G flew his 54in span Nene Viking in the Giant Scale event.
PA-based Tom H scans the field as he works on his new Boeing twin flying wing. This model won the Giant Scale event.
Oliver S. prepares his high-flying Folkerts SK3 Greve Racer for a morning flight.
An idyllic early morning scene at Barron Field in Waywayanda, NY
The lush sod glimmers as the sun comes up over Barron Field in Waywayanda, NY. Eight hardy fliers, including your Stealth Sqdn correspondent, camped out on the field.

Fine Weather, Field & Friends


What more can a Free Flight Model Airplane enthusiast ask for?  Yep, all model meets are fun, but weekends like May 27-28 on Barron Field are what memories are made of. 

Two consecutive days of sunshine and sub-5mph winds enabled spectacular thermal flights and friendly competition between some of the top flyers on the East Coast.  The FAC Scale events created a quandary as competitors had to decide whether to put in official flights on a beautiful Saturday, or wait for the even better forecast weather on Sunday.   Kudos to Contest Directors Matt K and Vic N for setting a tone that encouraged keen competition, lots of fun flying and good ‘ol Flying Aces Club camaraderie. 

Many “max” flights (2 minutes or longer) were to be seen.  Several  models were lost OOS (out of sight), but many max flights stayed on the field due to the light drift.

Eight flyers camped overnight on the field.  Friday night was cold with the temp  dropping to 42 degrees, but the early morning and late evening flying more than compensated.  Michael S’s birthday was celebrated with no fewer than three of Soon’s Orchard best pies.  Delicious!

Check out the Photos Page for more pics in addition to those shared here.

June Meets Coming up!

If you haven’t got your calendars marked yet, hop to it as time is flying!  Don’t miss another opportunity to fly Free Flight with the Stealth Sqdn gang.  No worries if you don’t have a model – we’ll set you up if you show up at the field.

Two meets – click the links below to view the Event Flyers with Directions and Key Contacts.

Sunday June 11 at Whites Farm in Durham, CT

Saturday June 24 at Pony Express Field in Ipswich, MA

May 21 Amesbury Meet & Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

Sunday May 21 – outdoor season opener meet at Woodsom Farm.  Contest Flyer  HERE


            Click to Enlarge Images

May 21 Woodsom Farm Amesbury, MA Contest Flyer
A Sopwith Pup and Fokker DVIII at ORA. The Fokker was flying with an original rotary engine!
A Curtiss Jenny takes off from the grass strip with a kidnapped Trudy Truelove (dummy) holding onto a wing strut!
A New Standard biplane hopped passenger rides before and after the airshow.
This Golden Age Morane Saulnier aerobatic aircraft was spotted in one of the hangars just up from the ORA airstrip.
The grandstands at ORA line the grass airstrip. Here the return of the ribbon-cutting Tiger Moth and Fleet biplane is announced over the PA system.
Stealth Squadroneers with Old Rhinebeck Pilots & Cast, July 2022

May 21 at Woodsom Farm; 2023 ORA  Trip Planning


Finally!  The daffodils have bloomed and spring has sprung.  Clubsters are blowing the cobwebs off their outdoor models and looking to get outside and fly in the warm sunshine.  

Our first outdoor meet of the season is right around the corner – Sunday May 21 on the big rolling green fields of Woodsom Farm in Amesbury, MA.  Check out the Contest Flyer and plan to make this one as we expect to see many new models built over this past winter.

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Field Trip

A few clubsters made the trek to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (ORA) last July and had a great time.  They got to see many terrific WW1, Golden Age, and Pioneer aircraft flying off the legendary grass strip.  More of their great pics are posted on the Photos page of this site.  What an airshow!

We’re hoping to make another field trip to ORA this summer, perhaps with a few more clubsters this time.  We’ll be discussing the details at the close of the May 21 meet at Woodsom Farm.  Show up at the meet and let us know if you’d like to join in the fun.

See you on the flightline skysters!

April 2 Meet Results, Pics & Video

Check the Calendar page for Oudoor Season flying dates

click images to view full size


Ara preps his Guillows Bird Dog
Rich brought a beautiful new SE 5a Peanut Scale model built from a Jon C laser cut short kit
Rich and William getting ready for the Golden Age Mass Launch event

 

 

Bob B. (foreground) won his first Kanone in the Pussycat Mass Launch event

2023 Indoor Season Finale

The Stealth Squadron 2023 Indoor Flying Season was closed with the final meet on April 2.

Several new models made an appearance and another modeler won their first Kanone (Bob B with his Baxter Pussycat).

Competition was keen as usual.  Check out the results below:

Kanone Report, Stealth Squadron April 2023, Page 1

Kanone Report, Stealth Squadron April 2023, Page 2

We’ve got a compilation video of the action to share as well:

Outdoor Dates Posted to Calendar

We’ve got a full schedule of FAC free flight meets scheduled.

Get out and fly with the gang at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury, MA and Pinkham Field in Durham, CT.  We’ve even got another June date booked at the Pony Express Field in picturesque Ipswich, MA!

Check out the Calendar page, or Coming Events in the sidebar of this site.  Mark your personal calendar and as always, see you on the flightline skyster!

 

March 12 Indoor Meet Results & Pics

visit the Photos page for more pics

click images to view full size


Jim launches his Stick Model.  Looks like a Jetco ROG
Rich and his White Monoplane, 2nd place Golden Age ML
Ara readies his FAC Trainer for flight
Ray winds the rubber motor in his Voisin Hydro, 1st place Pioneer Scale
 Jon covered his stick model with a lightweight shopping bag made from recycled materials

 

George’s Waco cruises by. This model won the FAC Scale and Golden Age Mass Launch events.

New Flyers, New Models, old favorites

Wow, the Penn Brook Middle School gym was as busy as a beehive in May at the March 12 meet! 

Several new flyers from New Hampshire showed up to fly their rubber powered free flight models.   At least one youngster flew a traditional stick and tissue model airplane for the first time.  And the local VW Beetle car club showed up to enjoy the show.

Ara D and Sam B made the trek from ME and CT to join the flying fun.  Always good to see our pals from out of state.

The contest events were friendly, jovial – and competitive as ever.  Check out the results below:

Kanone Report, Stealth Squadron March 2023, Page 1

Kanone Report, Stealth Squadron March 2023, Page 2

Check out the Photo Page for more pics from the March meet.

April Indoor Flying Finale

Sure it’s been snowing up a storm, but Spring is around the corner.

Our indoor flying season wraps up in April with a final flying session in Georgetown, MA on April 2, and another finale in Glastonbury, CT on April 16.  These are your last opportunities to fly indoors in New England this season, so check out the flyers and mark your calendars now.

Outdoor Flying Dates Coming Soon

Keep your eyes peeled on the Coming Events sidebar on the homepage as well as the Calendar on this site.  We’ll be posting the Outdoor Meet and Contest dates soon.  

Hopefully, you’ve been busy as a beaver on the building board and getting some new models ready to go.  We’re really looking forward to seeing the models from Steve E’s online model building class take to the sky.

See you on the flightline skyster!

 

Indoor Meet this Sunday March 12

Penn Brook School, Georgetown MA

The third indoor meet of the season is this coming Sunday March 12, 2023.

View the Full Contest Flyer for key Contacts and Directions to the gym. 

The Guillow’s Bird Dog event is a match race double elimination (three laps around the pylon).

Don’t forget that the clock moves forward one hour!

Feb 5 Georgetown Results & Balsa Strength Article

A technical look at Balsa strength as a function of density. 


            Click to Enlarge Images

William S uses a cantilever beam to measure balsa strength.  Read his article HERE
Feb 5 Georgetown Indoor Meet Results (click to enlarge)
Feb 5 Georgetown Indoor Meet Results (click to enlarge)
Competitors wind their Guillows Bird Dogs in 12min of Georgetown
George S WW2 mass launch winning Guillows Typhoon
Ray H’s Dime Scale winning Comet Corben Super Ace

Next Indoor Meet March 12


Hi gang, we’ve got a double feature of sorts for you this time.

The indoor flying season is at a peak with lots of great flying both at the Penn Brook School in Georgetown, MA and the Glastonbury High School in CT.  Click the images at left to check out the Feb 5 Georgetown meet.  The competition remains very close with enough surprises thrown in (midair collisions, rafter hangups, etc.) to keep things interesting.  We’ll share some highlights below.  

On top of that, we’ve got a nice article on Balsa Strength by our own engineer-in-training William S.  Those of us not familiar with Young’s Modulus need to click the link below and learn something new.  And we look forward to hearing thoughts from our seasoned Stealth Sqdn engineers – oh yes, we have a few and they’re not shy!

Back to the Feb 5 flying…   Well, William not only knows his tech, he knows how to fly models too!  His Earhart Vega and Time Flies embryo were back in the winners circle.  Pop George also stretched the winning streak with his Typhoon (WW2 combat) and edged out Sam B’s circle burning Bird Dog with his own steady circling Guillow’s Bird Dog.  Still, if it weren’t for a few cut pylons and a controversial mid flight collision with George’s body as the final minutes ticked down, the finish might have been different.  The spectators certainly enjoyed the show!

Ray H hung his top-placing Pussycat up in the curtain which opened the door for Sam B and Steve K to duke it out in the final heat where Sam eked out the win.  Jon C didn’t have quite enough time to tame the trim gremlins in his Pussycat, or he’d have been a factor in the final too.

Ray came back strong, however, putting up tremendous flights with both his Corben Super Ace to win Dime Scale, and his Voisin Hydro to win Pioneer Scale.  Both of these models were flying near 2min flights within the confines of a basketball half-court.  Truly world-class flying that one needs to see to believe.

Steve Evans was busy detuning the climb in his Mad Maxine embryo and had it skimming the rafters nicely later in the meet.

The WW1 combat event was competitive as ever.  Tom N picked the wrong side of the gym to launch his Nungesser Nieuport and Rich Z’s colorful Fokker DVII siezed the opportunity to pull up underneath the little Ni17, flipping it over and sending it to the floor.  The Mercedes in the Rittmeister’s dastardly Fokker must’ve thrown a rod as it just couldn’t keep up with Sam B’s slick Ansaldo SVA which emerged victorious in the end.

At least one new Pinkham Stick model was seen flitting about – this one a triplane constructed from the laser cut parts Jon C. donated at the last indoor meet. 

The next Georgetown Indoor Meet is March 12 in the Penn Brook School.  See you there — and remember to check out the Article below too!

Read Balsa Strength Article Now

 

Indoor Meet this Sunday Feb 5

Penn Brook School, Georgetown MA

The second indoor meet of the season this coming Sunday February 5, 2023.

View the Full Contest Flyer for key Contacts and Directions to the gym. 

Come join us and learn more about rubber powered free flight model airplanes.