The Broadway Bod Busters hang out in the Stunt pits at the 2007 Northwest Regionals. Dave Gardner photo.
The Broadway Bod Busters came to the 2007 Northwest with both barrels blazing. We, however, neglected to clean the gun first.
Our plan was (according to bench discussions) was to enter and fly eight different events. There are three of us and as you know, we mostly fly combat so there was inspiration involved.
One day when we least expected it, the "Supreme Bod" spoke to us and said ...
"Fly stunt and clown you idiots. And throw in some speed event while you're at it"
Well, you can hardly argue with that and so we did, here's how it went.
A week before the Regionals, Jeff and I took the clown racer out for
its semiannual test run. It did horribly. The engine had by then sorted
out all of its weak links, such as the titanium crank shaft that would grow
and destroy not just the rotor, but send little pieces of it's emissaries
up through the piston and liner, causing an unwanted refit.
A trip to "Gators" with some beer applied by Jeff, convinced me it was indeed a worthwhile project and we needed to press on.
I was inspired once again.
Engine sent to Henry and a new rotor, P/L .bearings and various other parts, later we had another engine ... we promptly blew it up -- the one remaining part not replaced by Henry.
The most recent rebuild resulted as a proud example of Nelson's good work. It just happened to be on our clown racer.
(Spring forward to a month before the contest)
We had successfully run the little black hole of money at the Jim Walker Memorial and at that same time re-introduced the "Bod Busters" Team.
It was mentioned by another "lesser team," "Bod Busters! We can beat a team with that name!"
Well they didn't, but were nice enough to allow us to compete with our heater around the engine, keeping the 78 mps diesel at a constant temperature so it would run the race.
(Big mistake, we won it by 5 laps!)
On the wall it sat for nearly a month, visions of "turning it loose" danced through our heads!
"Let's do it I said" and we loaded one of the dirty barrels of our gun.
Diesel fuel is a strange and terrible thing y'all, it stinks. There are things you can add to it that are known to the Swede's and others someplace near Texas so I bought some!
We also consulted "clown experts" and the best clown we know and respect is Mark Hansen. He said "move the lead-outs forward," so we did.
All the stars were aligning for us, but word of our progress had slipped through the "net-o-secrecy" we had in place. Somehow, it became known to the "little prince" who waited with a plan of his own.
Jeff and I tested the now "powerful engine" only to find that it not only went faster (nearly 10 mph slower than the usual glow engine used for this event), but it would not hold a setting for more than 7 laps before it overheated and sagged off in another $150.00 "I'm dying sound," we shut it down immediately.
To say I was devastated is an understatement; we had worked a year on getting it to stay together and now this, we tried many mild fuels and settings -- all the same. A major factor took over right at this moment, a "Bod Buster" will never leave another "Bod Buster" alone in despair, Jeff came up with a thought that spurred another thought.
The real point is that he didn't give up and propped me up in the funk I was in, and that is a teammate.
We stiffened the nose with some Boeing surplus aluminum I bought Wednesday night before the contest, bolted up the still good Nelson RISE and left for Eugene.
We arrived Friday morning fresh from our Thursday night club meeting
at "Stars of Salem" with a mission:
Kill everyone in combat.
Fly four classes of stunt.
Put up an official in speed.
Go over 300 laps in clown.
The little prince waited.
Oddly enough, Jeff and I were most excited about the clown event. Buzz ,our lawyer and stratigec genius, lives hours away from us so it's hard to get synchronized with him on this. (But he's very patient with us.)
Arriving sometime around 9 a.m., we unpacked the "short bus" and staggered -- Nay! -- walked briskly to the waiting racing test circle. We began with a mild formula of secret fuel we brewed in the Bod Buster chemistry lab, and sallied forth.
This time the engine sang like days of old.the aluminum worked! A dark smile came over the two greedy Bod Busters, and we said
"BRING OUT THE SECRET FORMULA!!!!"
Buzz was edging away from us at this point, but still smiling and waving in a genial manner.
Blinded by pure greed and want of flying with the sacred "Mokis" we brought it forward.
The change was blinding -- the monster was indeed unleashed and produced a blistering 83 mph! at 90+ laps per tank.
The difference was that it didn't sag, the cylindrical shaped tube we had put over the cylinder of the now three times rebuilt Nelson worked! I was jumping up and down as was the pilot, Jeff.
We could "play!" we weren't just some novelty thing that someone threw together and could actually play!
The little Prince had other plans however.
While working on our airplanes in the Bod Buster fortress of solitude, we thought of many things. One of which was a list of "eligible" flyers that we might induct into the Bod Busters. We take this seriously and as many of you know, we are a "different blend."
A list of names was discussed among us and one or two kept resurfacing so as not to be denied. The list is kept in a security vault deep inside the fortress and only a few may see it.
At our club meeting Thursday night before the contest, we discussed many things.
There was talk about smoke, there was talk about bouncers but there was also talk about electing Dave Stevenson to be commissioned as the newest member of the Broadway Bod Busters.
We have been watching the progress of this talented individual for the last two years and it was unanimous (if he was willing).
I approached Dave at the combat circle and told him of our discussion, that we believed he "has what it takes" and would avail ourselves to his advancement in combat. Dave accepted thus becoming the newest Bod Buster.
HQ was too far away (Beaverton Ore), so we held the initiation ceremony at "Elmer's" formerly "Elmer's Pancake House" where Tanya Harding once plotted her Olympic strategy.
The swearing-in took place and he is now one of us -- you mess with him, you mess with us.
(Meanwhile, back at the race)..
We were congratulating ourselves on a technical feat of excellence that had finally come true, the potential to break 300 laps in clown race, when it was pointed out that we were in violation of the profile rule that states: "The engine shall be completely exposed from the mounting lugs to the cylinder head and shall not have any type of fairing."
(A fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and reduce drag. These structures are generally light-weight shapes and covers for gaps and spaces between parts of a vehicle, aircraft, or rocket to reduce form drag and interference drag, and to improve appearance.)
Yes, it was true, we had covered a cylinder with another cylinder 1/8" larger not to reduce drag but to hold in heat. Unintentional cheaters, but cheaters never the less we were without recourse.
We knew we had fallen victim to the little prince's plan and though we tried, could not make the engine that moments before, showed so much promise run for more that fifteen laps before either over heating or became too cold. We elected not to run it and be foolish any more than we had already been.
Exposed as frauds, we three left the racing circle and walked to the stunt area. Racing had began the whine from the racing area was deafening and we knew in our hearts that we weren't meant to be there.
Good John and Fryer Mike had a vision of all this and tried warning us before, but we were caught up in the rapture that only winning a clown race can produce. Their warning fell on deaf ears and we were disgraced.
The kind folks at old time stunt let us play with them, I took last place and narrowly edged out by Buzz for this honor.
Buzz read the pattern to me and I always follow his advice but I'm beginning to think a "question mark" really isn't one of the maneuvers!
Jeff got kicked out of Intermediate Stunt for winning second after only flying it twice before -- must be grouchy guys because he missed first by a slim margin!
If that wasn't bad enough, the one time Nationals combat champion placed second in old time stunt on his first time out!
Buzz and I came along with the push brooms, taking second in beginning stunt and me third!
Buzz read me the pattern (again) when I finished he said "you forgot the square loop!"
"You didn't read it to me!" I said. "Well then you screwed up!" ... and so on.
Jeff continued to fight hard in combat winning first in 1/2A and leaving me the opportunity to win both diesel and 80 mph -- lost em both I did, but to two of the best.
I somehow managed to win the overall combat championship.
But best of all, we now have Dave Stevenson with us and our numbers have grown by 33%.
We never got around to flying the speed plane but had a great time.
The Bod Busters won:
1st 1/2A combat -- Jeff Rein
2nd Old-Time Stunt -- Jeff Rein
2nd Intermediate Stunt -- Jeff Rein (now kicked out to advanced!)
2nd Beginning Stunt -- Buzz Wilson
(Almost last in Old time stunt) -- Buzz Wilson
2nd Diesel Combat -- Ken Burdick
2nd 80 mph combat -- Ken Burdick
1st overall combat -- Ken Burdick
3rd Beginning stunt -- Ken Burdick
(Dead last in Old Time Stunt) -- Ken Burdick
(used a diesel and stunk up the place)
Thanks John, Mike and all of the others who put on this wonderful contest.
Special thanks to Dave Gardner for the "prizes" in OTS, the warm welcome they gave us and nickname "the combat guys".
I have a special announcement to make.
Within days of the Bod Busters triumphant return from the NWR, the team has added yet one more member to its ranks.
It is my pleasure to welcome none other than Dan Rutherford (aka Dirt), to the ranks of the Broadyaw Bod Busters.
Dan is and has been a colorful member of the modeling community since the 70s. He has excelled in Combat, Racing, Free-flight, RC cars (all in a major way) and now precision acrobatics. Additionally, Dan is an excellent chef and a welcomed addition to the team.
We now have a mentor for stunt, and things just keep getting better and better for the Bod Busters.
Dan will be formally inducted into the Bod Busters (at a future date) deep inside the Bod Buster's HQ secretly located in Beaverton Ore.
The next round of T-shirts will be ordered next week and the ceremony planned. Dan is considered a Bod Buster as of 5-31-07 at 8:05 pm.
We welcome Dan.
Many have asked, "What's it like to BE a Bod Buster?"
It's not possible to divulge this, but some clues would be (from my personal list)
Favorite song:
"Everything's broken"
"C'mon in this house" -- Junior wells.
Anything by Johnny Cash.
Favorite literary caption:
"Along came a spider"
Favorite quotes:
"I didn't do it man" -- Bart Simpson
"What, me worry?" -- Alfred E Newman.
This page was upated June 6, 2007