Stealth Squadron – Stealth Squadron FAC#49

Gear-Up for New England FAC Meets!

See you at the Sunday, Aug 24 Woodsom Farm meet!

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Check out the latest flyer for the Sept 13 Spencer Peirce Farm event with Guillow’s. Tell your friends!

The Rittmeister’s Henschel HS123 off on it’s incredible 2:45 flight at the Midsummer Melt Meet! Pic courtesy Chuck I.

… and the Rittmeister’s Flying Fool NRE Tribute Model

Clubster Doug G has a laser cut short kit of the Flyiing Fool. See him at the August Woodsom Farm Meet to get one!

Clubster Tom N flew his diesel powered RN Consolidated PT-1 at the 2025 FAC Non Nats in Geneseo

John K launches his colorful Potez 34 dimer at the Midsummer Melt Meet at Pinkham Field in Durham, CT. Model is available as a laser cut kit from local supplier Peck Polymers.

Lots of Flying Action!

Whew, it’s been awhile since our roving reporter’s last update. He’s been busy flying models and enjoying summer as we hope you have been.

So pull back on the stick, gear-up, and let’s do a quick summary of goings-on.

July 17-19 FAC Non Nats in Geneseo, NY

Never been to an FAC Nationals in Geneseo? Well, you’re missing out on some of the best stick and tissue model flying and free flight camaraderie in the world! Several clubsters attended, participated and took home awards from this year’s Non Nats. The winds were challenging on Thursday, but the weather was near-perfect for flying on Friday and Satuday. Flyers traveled across the U.S. and Canada to attend, with friends new and old enjoying their common interest in free flight model airplanes. Check your Flying Aces Newsletter for in depth coverage of the Non Nats.

Midsummer Melt Meet at Pinkham Field, CT

The weather was perfect with light winds all day. Rich Z’s epic 2minute and 45 second flight with his Henschel 123 biplane got everyone’s attention, and a flock of all sheet balsa NRE Tribute Models were seen flitting around the field. If you haven’t yet attended an FAC Meet in Durham, CT plan to join us at one of the meets this Fall. Oh, and don’t forget the upcoming Woodsom Farm Meet in Amesbury, MA on August 24!

New Spencer-Peirce Little Farm Event Flyer

Don’t miss this Guillow’s-sponsored public event at Historic New England’s Spencer-Peirce Little Farm in Newbury, MA on September 13. The new Flyer tells you everything you need to know. Kids or grandkids in your family? Forward the Flyer to them and suggest they attend – the kids and yes, even Mom & Dad, will have FUN!

Flying Fool Short Kit

We mentioned the gang having fun with their NRE Tribute models at the Midsummer Melt meet. Well, longtime Flying Ace and DC Maxecuter Doug G has moved to the Northeast and joined our Stealth Squadron club. Welcome aboard Doug! And guess what? Doug has a laser cut short kit for the Flying Fool NRE Tribute model. The Rittmeister built one from the kit and it flies great. Come meet Doug at the August 24 Woodsom Farm meet in Amesbury, MA to learn more about the short kit and how you can get one. Use the Contact Us form on this website if you can’t make the meet and are interested in the kit.

See you at the flying field!

More Rain! – Spencer-Peirce Event Resched to 9/13/2025

ALERT! DUE TO YET MORE WEEKEND RAIN, THE FLYING ACES TAKE FLIGHT EVENT AT SPENCER-PEIRCE LITTLE FARM IN NEWBURY, MA HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2025! SAME TIME, SAME PLACE, SAME SPONSOR (GUILLOW’S THANK YOU!) AND SAME FAMILY FLYING FUN!

Woodsom Meet Resched to 5/18!

New Amesbury Meet date (May 18) – same place, time, events

See you there!

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Richard B’s P-51 was flying great at a recent Woodsom Farm testing session.

Another new model at Woodsom – this one a GAR Rearwin Speedster. Flies great!

A pair of Guillow’s models being readied for the big Jun 14 Spencer-Peirce Little Farm event. Check the Coming Events for more.

The Rittmeister’s new Peanut Scale model – a Heath Midwing Racer!

1st Woodsom Farm meet May 18

See the full Event Flyer HERE for Directions, Contacts, etc. NOTE: the date has not been updated to 5/17 on this Flyer, but all other information is good.

We’ve been out test flying models (see pics) at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury, MA and it’s in great shape.

Spencer-Peirce Little Farm Event Links

The staff at Historic New England’s Spencer-Peirce Little Farm in Newbury, MA have been busy. Our June 14 Flying Aces Take Flight! event listing is up on their website and Facebook page. Please plan to attend (register on Facebook page) and forward the links below to friends and family. This us a great day for kids looking to burn off some energy flying Guillow’s stick models on a beautiful open field with many other attractions at the farm.

Historic New England.org – Event Listing

Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm – Event Facebook Site

Let’s get that “Going” and “Interested” count up on the Event Facebook page gang!!

Indoor Season Wrap Up

We closed out the indoor flying season with a couple of great meets, April 6 in Georgetown, MA (results below) and April 13 in Glastonbury, CT. Thanks to our roving photog for capturing some pics.

April 6 Georgetown results – Page 1

April 6 Georgetown results – Page 2

See you on the flightline skyster!

Flying Aces Take Flight!

All Outdoor Contest dates have been added to our website Calendar

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Doug H’s Heath Racer floats by at the 4/13 Glastonbury meet

Jim R. launches his Scrappy One Design model at the April 6 Georgetown indoor meet

A pretty Ercoupe turning onto final approach at the Woodsom test field

A new Mongster peanut Goodyear Racer at the test field

John K’s beautiful Miles Sparrowhawk cruises by at the Glastonbury H.S. April 13 meet

Get outside!

The flowers are blooming, the days getting warmer, and just like that it’s outdoor flying season.

Our season opener on the big field at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury is on Saturday May 10 is coming soon. A few clubsters have already been out flying at the Woodsom Farm testing field!

Spencer-Peirce Little Farm Event Links

Historic New England.org – Event Listing

Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm – Event Facebook Site

Let’s get that “Going” and “Interested” count up on the Event Facebook page gang!!

Indoor Season Wrap Up

We closed out the indoor flying season with a couple of great meets, April 6 in Georgetown, MA (results below) and April 13 in Glastonbury, CT. Thanks to our roving photog for capturing some pics.

April 6 Georgetown results – Page 1

April 6 Georgetown results – Page 2

See you on the flightline skyster!

3/9 Georgetown Indoor & NRE Event Update

See you at the Sunday, March 9 Georgetown, MA meet!

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Capt. Struhl’s Tubular Terror – a new addition to the NRE Tribute Event Fleet!

Sam B. continues to advance the Super Capacitor powertrain for stick & tissue free flight models. His GAR Cub flew very realistically in the Glastonbury HS gym.

2025 Durham CT Whites Farm Mini Meet & Full Day Contest Schedule

There was lots of activity going on at the February Glastonbury HS flying session.

Daylight Savings too

Remember, set your clocks ahead 1hr Saturday night March 8!

You don’t want to show up an hour late for this Sunday’s indoor flying at the Penn Brook Middle School in Georgetown, MA.

We’ve got a bunch of updates to share this time around gang. Read on!

Georgetown 2/23 Indoor Results

There was lots of great flying going on at the rescheduled indoor meet in the Penn Brook school gym on February 23. No pics this time, but we can share the contest event results (thanks Steve!)

2/23/2025 FAC Kanone Report Sheet 1

2/23/2025 Kanone Report Sheet 2

The indoor flying season is drawing short – you still have time to make official Scrappy One Design flights (see Scoreboard in sidebar).

Durham, CT Outdoor Dates Posted

As usual, there are four Full Day outdoor Flying Aces Club contests scheduled this year. The Spring Fling (Jun. 8), Mid-Summer Melt (Aug. 10), the Fall Fly-In (Sep. 14) and the Turkey Fly (Nov. 16). Check the Calendar and Coming Events on this site to view the Meet Flyers for all the details.

There are also Mini Meets scheduled for mornings on the first Sunday of most months during the outdoor season. See the dates on the Pinkham Field (Durham) schedule HERE.

Ed Novak Tribute Event Updates

The NRE Tribute Event was a huge success at the Turkey Trot Contest back in November 2024 at Pinkham Field (Whites Farm) in Durham, CT. This event will be run again at the Durham, CT FAC meets this year. Check the Pinkham Field schedule for the specifics.

And guess what? A new all-sheet sport design in the spirit of the Tribute Event has been added to the roster. Capt. Dick Struhl’s Tubular Terror! Download a scan of the original plan and construction article for the Terror on the NRE Tribute Event page on this site. What a deal – it’s Free! Check out the updated Novak Tribute Event guidelines/rules too.

Let us know via this site’s Contact Us form if you need help printing the plan, or getting some of that vintage BLACK RUBBER motor for your model.

Whew, that’s all for now gang. Back to the building board — and
see you in the Penn Brook school gym (Georgetown, MA) on March 9!

Feb 23 Meet & Tips

Sunday February 23 Georgetown, MA meet is ON See you there!

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Harry flew his Hellcat for the first time at the February Glastonbury flying session. Put in some great flights.

The classic Pink Pearl eraser. Dollar store versions work too.

Lamination hold downs that don’t stick..

Cut to shape they make good stamps. That’s a Scrappy insignia!

Harry Culver’s F6F Hellcat with the supplies and tools he used to finish the model. Beautiful!

Building & Finishing Tips

FLASH – The FEBRUARY Georgetown meet has been rescheduled to Sunday 2/23/2025 in the Penn Brook middle school. View FLYER for directions & contacts.

Since it’s the building season, here are some quick modeling tips from our clubsters..

Airbrushed Ink Finishes

Clubster Harry C. was flying his new, enlarged Nassise Hellcat at the February Glastonbury, CT flying session. This model (sidebar pics) sports a beautiful airbrushed ink finish. A brief run-down from Harry:

“I bought the ink locally at Jerry’s Artarama (available online). The colors are Artfinity alcohol ink from 25 ml bottles intended for marker refills. There are earth tones, olive greens and greys that would be useful for other camo schemes. I used Liquitex acrylic ink for the white simply because there was no white available from Artifinity. There are colors in the Liquitex line but not as many and they are more vivid. I used the ink unthinned in a Paasche model H external mix airbrush and it went on very dry, requiring three coats to get good color definition. Even so the total weight gain was only on the order of a gram. I held the airbrush fairly close to the model, perhaps three inches or so. The insignia were done with 0.002” low tack frisket film cut to shape. Next time I would probably paint the whole model with white to get better opacity on the color layers. A top layer of Krylon clear acrylic would add durability at the cost of more weight.”

Harry did a fabulous job rendering the tricky 2 tone blue/white color scheme on his Hellcat. Airbrushed insignia too – wow! Who’s next to give it a try?

Dollar Store Eraser Tools

Modelers are a resourceful lot. They’re often cheap too.

Our creative Vermont clubsters discovered that the ubiquitous “Pink Pearl” eraser makes a great multi-use building tool. Cheap discount store erasers work well too. Cut into small bricks (sidebar pics), they make soft yet firm hold downs for those lightweight laminated balsa flying surface outlines. No more pin marks and the eraser bits will not get glued to the lamination. Need a small, easily adjustable clamp for holding fragile parts together? Bits of eraser on a long common pin will do the trick. So, you don’t want to break out the airbrush for some simple decorations on your next model? Carve an eraser to make your own stamp. Use your imagination and get creative with these simple tools.

That’s all for now gang. Back to the building board — and
see you in the gym on February 23!

Feb 9 Georgetown Meet Cancelled

Upcoming indoor meets Feb 2 (G’bury) and Feb TBD (G’town). Be there!

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Model aviators confer on next moves with their Scrappy’s!

Sam and Rich at the Jan 5 Glastonbury meet. Sam won WW1 ML with his neat Bristol F2B.

Steve and George ready to launch in the Golden Age ML launch event on Jan 12.

Vance flew his antique Lacey M-10 at the Jan 12 Georgetown meet.

Clubsters at Vance’s Jan 11 show at Passim. Great music!

Clubsters at Rittmeister’s Christmas Eve Open House. Great Fun!

Glastonbury flyers at the January 5 meet. Check out the Scrappy One Design Scoresheet in this post!

SNOW!

The Sunday FEBRUARY 9 Meet in the Georgetown, MA middle school has been CANCELLED due to SNOW CONDITIONS. Please stay home and build!

We haven’t done that lately, but there’s a blizzard of indoor flying going on here in the Northeast. Lots of socializing too – musicians, writers, pilots..we’ve got it all. Budding author Rich Z even had his story The Cannoneers read on New Year’s Eve on local radio station WHAV 97.9 FM!

And we’ve already had our first two indoor meets of 2025.

On Jan 5 we flew in the big gym at Glastonbury HS in Connecticut. Skyboss John K was out sick, but clubsters stepped up and the meet came off without a hitch. Lots of Scrappy One Designs were flying and John sent out the Scrappy Scoresheet after the meet. Ray H. has to top time with his Scrappy, but Jim R is a scant 2 seconds back and he’s fitted a promising new prop to boost duration. Surely the 2min mark will fall soon. Mitch K leads in the “closest to average flight time” category with lots of flyers vying for the pole position.

The next weekend (Jan 12) the Georgetown middle school gym was abuzz with stick and tissue models flitting about. Yet more Scrappy’s were getting airtime and all seemed to be flying well. Jon C showed up with a Freebird ornithopter, illustrating the broad range of rubber powered free flight models. All of the usual competition events were flown. Check out the Event Results below (thanks Steve!)

Stealth Squadron Jan 12, 2025 Results Page 1

Stealth Squadron Jan 12, 2025 Results Page 2

See you in the gym in early February skysters!

Indoor Season Underway

All Georgetown, MA indoor flying dates have been posted!

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Rick P and Marc G show off their NRE Tribute models at the Turkey Fly

The Texas FAC flyers participated remotely in the NRE Tribute Event

And the infamous Harfang (Snow Owl) gang phoned results in from chilly Montreal, Canada.

Richard B flew his Scrappy at the Woodsom Test Field in early December.

Winner of the Ed Novak Tribute Event – Mike S. and family at Pinkham Field in Durham, CT

NRE Tribute Goes Viral!

Thanksgiving seems ages ago. The annual Durham Turkey Fly was held the weekend before T-day and the Novak Tribute Event was the highlight. All-sheet Tribute models were flying in Durham and an equal number of flyers participated remotely from Texas and Canada. How about that – an International salute to one of the FAC’s finest, Never Ready Eddie (NRE)!

The Colonel (Paul S who ran the event) will tell us about it below, but first – an ANNOUNCEMENT.

The Georgetown, MA indoor flying meet dates have been added to the Calendar and will appear on the Coming Events in the Sidebar. There will be indoor flying dates each month January – April, 2025 in both Georgetown, MA and Glastonbury, CT. See you in the gym(s) flyers – and don’t forget your Scrappy one design model!

The Colonel’s NRE Tribute Event Recap

“There were 19 entries in the Tribute Event. Four from the Alamo Escadrille in Texas, Six from the Snow Owl (Harfang) Squadron in Montreal, Canada, and Nine from the Pinkham Field Irregulars in Durham.

Tribute models built included 5 Flying Fools, 3 Commando’s, 3 Little Mike’s, 2 Swallow’s, 2 Rigid Midgets, 2 Clodhopper’s, 1 Lil Cloud Sniffer and 1 FAC Beginner’s Racer.

And the Winner was ..(drum roll).. Mike S. and his beautifully decorated Flying Fool.

Mike had Three duplicate flights out of his six officials and his next closest was one second apart. The Snow Owl’s Giorgio T. also had Three duplicate flights, but his next closest official flight was three seconds apart.”

A tip o’ the hat to Mike for some impressively consistent flying with his Flying Fool. And what a pleasure to see Mike with his young family out on the field. And thanks Colonel, we know your cell phone was smoking like an old Hisso with a bad cylinder with all those remote flights getting texted in to Pinkham Field!

Hope we can do it again sometime.

See you in the gym soon skysters!

Good-Bye Summer

One more outdoor meet –

11/17 Durham FAC Turkey Fly

Event Flyer HERE

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Flyers launch their Baby Gliders at last year’s Turkey Fly at White’s Farm in Durham, CT

It was windy for the WW1 mass launch event!

Mitch K’s Curtiss Speed Scout FAC Scale model flew well in the Glastonbury HS gym on Nov 3

Tom N retrieves his Commando from the top of the bleachers

Flying to the stars? Nope, a Pacific Ace floatplane rests on the West River in VT

Scrappy One Design flyers in the Glastonbury HS gym on November 3

Seasons go round & round..

And just like that, it’s over. The shadows grow longer as the days get shorter. The pitter patter of soft soled shoes on the gym floor. The first weekend of November was truly a transition – flying in the brisk air at Woodsom Farm on Saturday and in the calm, quiet space of the Glastonbury HS gym on Sunday. Whew!

There’s one more chance outdoors at the Turkey Fly in Durham, CT on Nov. 17. See you there!

Nov 2 Woodsom Meet Pics & Results

Despite the strong Fall wind, a great time was had by all. Steve E. extended his streak with wins in the Pinkham Stick, Embryo, Dime Scale and Chameleon Mass Launch events. Rich Z. mopped up most of the remaining events. Congrats guys. We won’t go so easily on you next time..haww!

Check out pics and meet results below.

Pics

Results p1

Results p2
Thanks for sharing Kim & Steve!

About those Indoor Dates –

All of the Glastonbury, CT Indoor dates have been posted to the Calendar page. Check the Flyer for dates in the Glastonbury High School gym, key contacts (John K) and address for the High School (your GPS/mapping will provide directions).

Don’t forget to build a Scrappy and get in on the One-Design Fun!

Georgetown, MA Indoor Dates are being finalized and we expect to have these posted to the Calendar soon. We anticipate one flying day per month beginning in January 2025 and running through April. The Scrappy One Design will be flown in Georgetown as well, so get building!

Saturday Nov 2 Season Close Meet @ Woodsom Farm

Don’t miss the final outdoor meet of the Season –

Event Flyer HERE

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Sam B launches his Super Capacitor powered Halberstadt D2. Sam’s a SuperCap pro!

Vance G lauches his Russian Kalinen K4 ambulance plane. Beautiful!

Another Boxy Bipe. This one by Steve E. Snidely Whiplash piloting!

Rich Z’s Corben Super Ace wheels above the Fall Colors.

Greve Race mass launch at Woodom Farm Oct. 20 meet

Outdoor Season Finale Nov 2

Tempus Fugit, gang! Yep, time sure is flying, just like one of Steve E’s Pinkham Stick models. Next Saturday Nov 2 will be your last chance this season to fly outdoors on the beautiful rolling fields of Woodsom Farm in Amesbury, MA. Don’t miss it!

The event roster has been slimmed some, but we’ll still be filling the sky with stick & tissue models. Check out the full Nov. 2 Meet Flyer.

See you at the field!

October 20 Meet Results & Pics

Gorgeous weather, good friends and lot’s of high flying models – what more can a flyer ask for? How about a bunch of great photos to help remember it all?

John R’s Google photostream

Kim W’s Google photostream

Thanks for sharing John & Kim!!

Pinkham Stick was arguably the event to watch with several new models and light-hearted competition. Steve E kicked it off with a one minute flight on his new Troubadour in the calm morning air and then upped the mark to 100sec plus soon after. Kim W got several nice flights with her Rocky-piloted Boxy Bipe. Then in the thermally afternoon Rich Z popped off a 2min plus flight with his Gabelschwanz Teufel (Fork-Tailed Devil) which unfortunately ended with the model 80ft or so up in a majestic pine tree. Steve countered late in the day with his Pelatowski Stork, catching a thermal and going OOS (out of sight) into a cloud. But alas, he forgot to start the stopwatch! Gremlins were surely riding Stork’s wing on its last flight! And it was the FT Devil for the win.

One thing’s certain. There’s a lot of flying smiles per build time invested in these simple Pinkham Stick models. Why not join in the fun?

There was lots of action in the other competition events as well. Steve E’s Hellcat took the top spot in Dime Scale again and his Mad Maxine (biplane, n’est pas!) topped the Embryo Endurance field. George S’s Nassise Mustang edged out the Rittmeister’s Henschel 123 to win the WW2 Mass Launch event. George’s Guillows Fairchild 24 won the Golden Age/Modern Civil event too.

Rich Z’s wretched Roland D2 wreaked havoc winning the WW1 Mass Launch event. His silky smooth flying Ercoupe also won FAC Simplified Scale – the meet’s premiere competition event.

Sam B and Ara D made the trek from out-of-state to fly with us. It was great to see you guys. We sure did have FUN!

Stealth Squadron Oct 2024 Results Page 1

Stealth Squadron Oct 2024 Results Page 2

See you on the field at Woodsom Farm on Nov 2 tissue trimmers 🙂