Bob Smiley of Kingston, Wash, flew this Paul Walker-designed Impact in the expert class of precision aerobatics in 2005.
By Dave Shrum, Roseburg, Ore.
The "Spitfire" is a Jack Sheeks design built to 80% to take a smaller engine. It is split rib design and weighs 32 oz. I currently have a OS LA 25 for power and it's finally flying the plane with "authority." I had a .15 diesel-McCoy .19 before. The paint job is Derusto -- enamel -- painted with a camel hair brush. The base is 11 coats of clear of Aerogloss (to use it up) on silkspan. The total weight from "Bare" wood to enamel is 3 12 oz.
The Curtis R3C-2 biplane on floats is built from Cleveland plans. It has a SuperTigre .60 for power. The 'brass" on the wings is .003 brass -- 11 oz's! It flies awful -- because after asking around to fellow modelers I put positive incidence on the upper wing -- bad idea. This was 450 hrs and 5 months work -- I am very proud of this effort. AS far as well can tell, our float pond in Roseburg has been the only effort since the 1950s in Los Angeles. We had 8 pilots and about 18 planes during the four-year run on the pond for the Nortthwest Regionals during its Roseburg years. I would do it again if I could find 7 pilots to build a float plane and have $100.00 each to build the Temporary/movable pond -- just a thought!
Powered by a growling Saito .72, Miss Kate, an original design by Mark Conner of Othello, Wash., is a crowd favorite at Northwest contests. Flying Lines photo.
Scott Riese's glittering Cobra is powered by a Brodak .40. Seen here at DeAlton-Bibbee Field in McMinnville. Flying Lines photo.
This page was upated April 13, 2006