Update: The April 17th Stealth Sqdn meet is moved to Sunday April 18. Same location, Same Time, same events (see Flyer
Season opener is the April 18 meet at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury MA.
This is due to predicted poor weather conditions on Saturday 17th. And better weather predicted on Sunday 18th.
Mass Launch events will be moved up and begin at 10:30 and hopefully wrap up by 12:30 when Scale judging will begin. The ML schedule will be as follows WW1, Thompson, Greve, and WW2 all run consecutively.
Rubber-powered Free Flight Models Only
Stealth Sqdn is a rubber FF club and we welcome all who want to try this hobby. Flying rockets, drones, choppers and fixed wing RC is not permitted.
“Angus says… Check upcoming dates for meets and contests on the Calendar page or sidebar of this site”
Send your pics & vids to admin@stealthsquadron-fac49.com
Potez dimer after successful Air-Tree Rescue (click to enlarge)Fairchild PT-19 after a perfect landing on the slight crust atop the deep snow. Feb 18 (click to enlarge) Comte AC4 Dimer (click to enlarge)(click to view vid) Spitfire Snow Flight Jan 22Stinson O-49 Rose-James Field, VA Jan 14Waco launch Rose-James Field VA Jan 14Udet Dimer VA Jan 14Comet Aeroneer Dimer, Old Lyme, CT JanWaco Dimer Jan 14 VA
Potez 34 dimer Tree’d, 3/8/2021 Woodsom Farm
Postal Dimer ends March 17
Hey gang. Time is running out! Get your dime scale model in the air and submit an online timesheet (sidebar).
That’s right – 9 flying days left before the postal dime contest ends on St Patrick’s Day (Mar 17, 2021).
There has to be at least a couple good weather days between now and then. Don’t miss your opportunity to get on the Tallyboard!
And don’t forget to send a pic or vid of your model in action or at rest. We’ll post it here for all to see.
Light breezes and warm thermals –
* * *
Zounds! Has that ghastly Hun Hanz from The Cursed Squadron survived, taken a pseudo-name and commandeered this cute little Swiss Franc (top left) for his dastardly act?
How can such an innocent craft – a reindeer on its sides no less – be used as a tool for mayhem?
Because that’s what this has become. The taunt from Trailing Edge himself at the bottom of this post confirms as much.
He even said the Tom Brady thing… Of course, he wouldn’t sign Hanz.
If ever there was a need for Jack Sharpe on the case, this is it!
* * *
Sacre Bleau! Like a vagabond on a midnight train, a mystery flyer named Trailing Edge has slipped into our little Postal Contest.
He is the new Wing Commander – and his lead seems insurmountable. Oh my!
Three Dimers, three flights, three top positions on the Tallyboard. Even the Bovid Army at Rose James Field couldn’t stop him.
OK now. We know this event is for fun…sort of like the Drew Carey show where the points don’t matter. It’s about the show.
BUT…. the Sqdn Commander’s cap spirited away to a place that’s for Lovers? Pffffftttt!
So, let it snow, let it freeze. Let the Bonus rise and our models rise further. It’s not over til it’s over. Get out there gang.
Send pics & vids of your winter flying adventures to admin@stealthsquadron-fac49.com and we’ll put them up here.
Model Bonus and Temperature Bonus this year. Use the Postal Timesheet form in the Sidebar or on the Postal Contest page.
Enter your FAC Dime Scale model!
Well gang, things are just not looking good for our indoor flying season this year. Given that, we’re going to re-run our virtual Dime Scale Postal event this winter. We had lots of flying and good light-hearted competition last year so let’s do it again.
Remember, anyone can enter and win whether you’re a Stealth Squadron member or not. Yes, there’s been some overzealous talk of Dimer duels, but we know this is for fun. It’s all about getting your model and moniker on the tallyboard (see Postal Page).
The Contest starts on New Year’s Day Jan 1, 2021 and ends on St. Patrick’s Day March 17, 2021. All flights are to be made outdoors and there will be a Temperature bonus like last year. That’s right, the colder the day you fly – the more bonus added to your flight time! Bonus points for your model will be added as well, per the official FAC Dime Scale rules.
Check the latest Results on the Postal Contest page – we’ll post the top 20 times submitted. Rules and online Timesheet Form can be found on that page. Look for the Timesheet Form at the bottom of the sidebar throughout this site as well.
Kick off this new decade with style and submit a flight. Have fun with it. We’ll post photos or videos of your model or flight on the Stealth Sqdn site too. Just send them to admin@stealthsquadron-fac49.com
Despite the November date, we had perfect “light and variable winds” conditions for our fourth outdoor contest of the season at Woodsom Farm.
The grass was still soft, the sun still shining warmly, but the foliage was well past-peak. A full slate of Mass Launch events were flown and the less rigorous FAC Simplified Scale was substituted for the scale-judged Flying Aces Scale event. This freed up time for all to fly – and that folks did – putting up many high and long flights in the light air.
The meet ended a few minutes earlier than usual due to Daylight Savings Time, but all seemed interested in flying more oudoors in coming months, even if on a smaller field and in the cold.
So stay tuned to this site for more opportunities to fly!
The third outdoor contest of the season took place on a gorgeous fall day at Woodsom Farm. The foliage was at its peak, the grass soft and just the right height, and even Covid couldn’t keep flyers’ spirits (or models) down.
Special thanks go out to the many flyers who traveled some distance to fly and compete in the contest. Several new flyers were in attendance and we look forward to seeing them back on the flightline soon.
We have another outdoor meet scheduled for Sunday November 8 at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury. Check the date on the Calendar to view the full Contest Flyer.
The second outdoor contest of the season was held September 12, 2020 on the beautiful rolling green fields of Woodsom Farm.
With Covid 19 still a threat, masks and social distancing protocols were in practice throughout the meet. This was no great setback to the strong turnout of flyers who came to fly their models and enjoy light breezes and strong thermals this fine autumn day.
Competition was hot as were the thermals. Unfortunately a number of fine models were lost OOS (out of sight), or over the hill. The gang will be busy this winter building season rebuilding the fleet!
We have another outdoor meet scheduled for October 10 at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury. Look for the Contest Flyer coming soon on this site.
Download Plan, Build Model, Beat Designer’s High Time!
Scroll to End of Post to Download PlanSteve’s 2nd Cricket Model. Can you beat his time?
Cricket Rubber Free Flight Model
Join the Challenge Today!
You’ve seen William Skelly’s fabulous Laird Solution model plan – well here’s another super model on the other end of the complexity spectrum. TheCricket is a simple, high flying stick model designed by clubster Steve Evans. Scroll to the bottom of this post to download a copy of the plan.
A Designer’s Challenge has been issued for modelers to build their own Cricket and see if they can beat Steve’s high time. The Challenge will run through September 15 as an online “Postal” contest. Check out the Designer’s Challenge page for the latest Results (we’ll post all times submitted) and an online Timesheet Form which can also be found at the bottom of the sidebar throughout this site.
Now, a few words from our Designer Steve:
“Sometimes its nice to take a break from all the stresses of daily life these days and just do something easy, where the rewards are quick and the efforts minimal. I designed the Cricket to be just that and the first one I made rewarded me by nearly flying away, only returning to the field on a favorable breeze. After that model suffered a benchtop “incident” I decided to build a second one and also to offer the plans out (scroll down to download) along with a challenge.
After one trimming session, my best flight so far is 32 seconds. Build the Cricket and see if you can beat that mark! This is an unofficial online contest that runs until September 15. Results will be posted on the site.”
Good luck and get flying!
Download Cricket Plan (print on three 8.5 x 11in sheets)
TheCricket is a simple, high flying stick model designed by Stealth Squadron clubster Steve Evans. Build one and submit your time in the Designer’s Challenge on the Stealth Sqdn website at www.http://stealthsquadron-fac49.com
Discussions are underway with the town – stay tuned!
Use the Contact Us form to learn of informal fun flying in the interim
A Glimmer of Hope
First, cross all your fingers and then all your toes too.
The Rittmeister tells us there is some activity in talking with the town about contest dates for the late summer and fall.
The town has not said “yes” and there are no dates.
Nonetheless, we are hopeful and can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Hopefully, it’s not an oncoming train.
So, keep building and flying and keep checking back to this site for updates.
Oh, and a small group of us have been flying weekend mornings at Woodsom. Reach out to us via the Contact Us form if you want to get the heads-up when we go out.
“Download William’s 3 view and 22in wingspan model construction plan (scroll to end of post)”
BY
William Skelly
The Author taking measurements at the New England Air MuseumLaird “Solution” 3 view by William Skelly
Laird Solution Construction Plans
& 3 View Drawing
There’s nothing better than when a scale modeler builds a model from plans that he or she has drawn.
Well, maybe there is – if that modeler/designer has developed their own three-view general arrangement drawing from measurements he has taken from the actual airplane to be modeled!
Such is the case with clubster William Skelly who trekked to the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT to view the original Laird LC-DW 300 “Solution” in their golden age raceplanes collection. William convinced Museum management to let him get up close to the one-of-a-kind aircraft and take the measurements needed to compose his own scale 3 view drawing for the Laird. We’re thrilled to offer William’s drawing to you here as a free download, along with the rubber-powered free flight scale model construction plan he designed and drew from that 3 view.
By using actual measurements taken from the real airplane along with perspective photos, William eliminated the foibles that often come with designing a model from a previously published 3 view drawing. Noted model airplane designer Bill Hannan discussed the issue in one of his excellent books, highlighting the discrepancies between published 3 view drawings for the ubiquitous Fokker DVII World War I fighter aircraft. Bill favored taking measurements from the actual aircraft whenever possible.
After taking a short break from his documenting and designing efforts (it’s not easy, but rewarding), William is now underway with construction of a flying scale model from his plans. We’re sure he’ll do a real knock-out job of it too.
Why not download your own set of plans and documentation and join along in the build? We’re sure William would be happy to correspond with any modeler who does.
Thanks again for your excellent contribution, William!
