Winners of the July 21 Vintage Diesel Combat contest (from left) Tristan McKay, Jeff Rein, Don McKay. Buzz Wilson photo
By Buzz Wilson
The BBB put on a Dbat contest at the park in Duval Washington on Saturday. This is a great little site. The only problem is the distance that you have to haul your equipment. Robert Smith has developed a new transporter. The only downside is you need a pickup truck to haul it.
The contest started with five flyers, Jeff Rein was working and would be there around 1:30. Don did the draw for three rounds. With only five flyers, judging would be a challenge. What we did was to have the pitmen count cuts. I was running the matches and would run the ground time watches. This worked well.
The day started out overcast and as Jeff showed up the sun came out. We had run all the matches that did not involve Jeff. Jeff's first match was against Robert. He had a problem with holding a setting and discovered the needle was broken. Kenny Johansen was overheard saying that never happens when he flies me.
Jeff changed his equipment and he and Kenny put on one of the better matches of the day. A lot of streamer slaps with Jeff getting the win with two cuts.
My streak of weird happenings continued in my match with Tristan McKay. I got a cut and it stuck to the wing. Tristan made an attack and hit both streamers. When he did this, his plane yawed out and mine yawed in finding the ground. In the process, Tristan got a piece of my streamer and my plane hit the ground cracking the trailing edge. When it went back up it sheared the outboard wing.
There was plenty of carnage Don and Tristan damaged five planes. Two of the midair collisions were engine to leading-edge type, but all planes are repairable because of carbon fiber reinforced leading edges.
Some of the Vintage Diesel Carnage. A McKay plane at left, Bob Smith with a broken Warlord at right. Below: Don pits for Tristan and is seen running to retrieve a plane “Go Daddy.” Buzz Wilson photos.
With the preliminary matches out of the way, Robert was undefeated. Three flyers; Don Tristan, and Jeff had two wins and one loss. Tristan won the draw and would fly Robert. Don would fly Jeff. The winners of the matches would fly for first and second and the losers would fly for third and fourth.
Robert being shown that yes, his streamer was cut and Tristan beat him. He would be flying for third or fourth. Jeff (the bandaged thumb from putting his hand in a prop) impersonating a stunt flyer. Buzz Wilson photo.
Don lost to Jeff setting, up Tristan and Jeff flying for first and second. Don managed to beat Robert for third. Jeff got a cut on Tristan. Tristan managed to take half of Jeff's elevator before lawn darting. Since Tristan was using an older plane without carbon fiber in the trailing edge, the plane was unflyable and Jeff won the match.
Here are the results (Northwest standings points in parentheses):
HIGH-PERFORMANCE 1/2-A COMBAT (6 entries)
1. Jeff Rein, Covington, Wash. (6)
2. Tristan McKay, Redmond,Wash. (5)
3. Don McKay, Redmond, Wash. (4)
4. Robert Smith, Roy, Wash. (3)
5. Buzz Wilson, Belfair, Wash.
Kenny Johansen, Fall City, Wash.
This page was upated Aug. 3,, 2010