Southwest Regionals 2004

Another great January at Eloy, Arizona has come and gone, but we had a great time at the SW Regionals! Our 3 separate contests [AMA Free Flight, FAI Free Flight, and SAM RC Old Timers] and the MECA Collecto provide a lot for modelers to do!

The emblem above was used on the awards and on the commemorative pins given to each contestant. Our 'poster boy' this year is Toby Blizzard, flying a Ramrod nostalgia gas model. Toby is a long time supporter of the SW Regionals so it was really neat that Steve Riley caught the picture of him.

For 2004, we filled out the whole slate of NFFS National Cup FF events, including the junior events. As a result, the SWR AMA FF contest was designated as a National Cup exempt event, meaning that points awarded here could be added to the usual limit of 6 contests.

[pictures are from Key Crawford, Eut Tileston, Steve Riley, Jim Kutkuhn, Steve Hesla, Cal Ettel, Jack Hiner and Greg Tutmark: Click on the small pics to see them full size.]

Here's Don DeLoach, holding one of the record setting models, That's Jerry Murphy with him.

Dan Sobala gets one of his well known Geefs ready for flight.

This is Arch Harlan's My Sin after a VTO launch. Don't know what the other one is might be a GEEF.

Someone's Lucky Lindy, going good!

It's Steve Bruno with a T-Bird.

Gene Smith launching, with Larry Kruse timing.

A Sattellite raises some dust.

Larry Kruse and Gene Smith, travelling free flight columnists, getting models ready.

Let's call this picture "Abstract Art".

By Saturday afternoon, the area between the cars and the FF flight line was completely covered with chase bike tracks, leaving these fascinating patterns.

Here is the FF flight line, looking from the AMA side toward FAI.

This is a map that Elmer Nelson posted at FAI to show the boundary ditches and the surrounding fields.

A view to the southeast. That's the cotton gin - it's about 3 miles away. the mountains are about 15 miles out.

Greg Tutmark, assistant CD for AMA free flight wrote:

I’ve been fortunate to have been invited to be assistant AMA FF CD at the Southwest Regionals for some years now. I have the best job in the contest: I fly in late in the week before the contest, and enjoy the benefits of all the hard labor of Al Lidberg and his crew getting all the hard work done before I arrive. I just get to hang out with all the great people who make the contest the success it is - the contestants.

I’ll leave the results reporting to someone else. I want to remember the people. Dan Keegan and his wife came down from Carson City again this year - Dan flew several rubber power classes and as usual, had a great time. But I’ll remember Dan for the hot cup of coffee he delivered to the official table at precisely the best time Sunday morning when I was feeling the wind chill [his wind chill was worse on Sunday because we gave him a metal chair! - AL]. This year, the gang from Colorado seemed to have even more fun than ever. They took home a good supply of trophies, too. David Ramsey, Gene Smith and Larry Kruse showed that magazine writers are serious competitors as well as just plain good folk. There was Steve Bruno from Oklahoma City, who I think was a first-timer. Steve did well and I’m looking forward to seeing him do well next year. You could see Steve’s smile a hundred yards away. And I’ll never forget Walt Conrad. Walt made a special trip to his motel on Sunday during the contest, giving up flying time, to bring me an engine I wanted.

This year I also got to be an ‘’almost competitor’‘. Jean Andrews, from Tucson asked me to be his launcher and timer for A-2 glider. I guess we did OK; Jean got first place. It was a genuinely exciting experience to see ‘’my’‘ airplane max and DT safely. Thanks Jean, I’ll be glad to help you any time. Saturday, I timed for John Patton flying his electric RC OT wakefield. Sure flew like a bird. John did fine. Maxed out his flights. Jim Kutkuhn was flying old time RC with his spotless Quaker. Best of all, it had an engine that was the ancestor of the Forster 99. Jim flew well - was truly an inspiring sight - I was so impressed by it, I made a special effort to get photos of that engine.

This epistle wouldn’t be complete without special thanks to my hosts, Al Lidberg and his daughter Annie who make their home my home for my annual visits. Steve Riley and John Patton seem to be there to take care of me when I need assistance. I’m sure there are many others I could mention, but it is a terrible fate to be talked to death. So, thanks to everyone, you made my SWR memorable. I’ll be there next year.

Greg

That is the engine noted in Greg's article above, plus Jim Kutkuhn's Quaker RC OT.

Here is Ben Nead and the Rapier model that was influenced by a White Wings paper glider.

It's Bob White!

Southwest Regionals AMA/NFFS/SAM Free Flight 17-18 JAN 2004 Eloy, Arizona

1/2 A Gas [9]			1/2 A Classic Power [6]			A Gas [5]
1st	Frank Roberge - AZ	704	1st	Jack Marsh - CA	143	1st	Don DeLoach - CO	1081
2nd	Steve Bruno - OK	692	2nd	Steve Bruno - OK	889	2nd	Jim Grove - NV	1041
3rd	Ken Kaiser - CA	496	3rd	Matthew Kruse - CA	470	3rd	Michael Thompson -CA	536

Classic AB Power [3]			B Gas [6]			C Gas [6]
1st	Michael Thompson-CA	900	1st	Don DeLoach - CO	1605	1st	Don DeLoach - CO	1377
2nd	Jack Marsh - CA	526	2nd	Daryl Perkins - CA	836	2nd	Kevin Sherman - CA	1189
3rd	Steve Bruno - OK	469	3rd	Jim Grove - NV	687	3rd	Guy Menanno - CA	740

Classic CD Power [2]			D Gas [4]			1/4A Nostalgia [4]
1st	Lynn Pulley - CA	708	1st	Daryl Perkins - CA	720	1st	Michael Thompson-CA	497
2nd	Jack Marsh - CA	693	2nd	Kevin Sherman - CA	717	2nd	Keith Fulmer - IN	447
3rd			3rd	Guy Menanno - CA	714	3rd	Frank Pollard - WA	394

Early 1/2A Nostalgia [3]			1/2A Nostalgia [11]			A Nostalgia [13]
1st	Keith Fulmer - IN	497	1st	Michael Thompson-CA	832	1st	Dan Sobala - AZ	1220
2nd	Dan Sobala - AZ	494	2nd	Larry Kruse	679	2nd	Lynn Pulley - CA	1065
3rd	Norm Peterson	258	3rd	Norm Peterson	540	3rd	Gene Smith - OK	763

B Nostalgia [10]			C Nostalgia [8]			.020 Replica [8]
1st	Bruce Augustus - ID	1076	1st	Gene Smith - OK	1184	1st	Frank Pollard - WA	900
2nd	Dick Nelson - AZ	1046	2nd	Archie Harlan - AZ	1070	2nd	Ron Wittman - CA	844
3rd	Dan Sobala - AZ	858	3rd	Dan Sobala - AZ	540	3rd	David Ramsey - CO	515

O T Gas Pylon [5]			O T Gas Fuselage [4]			Junior P-30 [1]
1st	Gary Sherman - CA	1620	1st	Ron Thomas - CA	540	1st	Logan Tetrick - CA	211
2nd	Walt Conrad - NV	1208	2nd	Gary Sherman - CA	527	2nd
3rd	Bruce Augustus - ID	720	3rd	Walt Conrad - NV	502	3rd

P-30 [9]			Nostalgia Rubber [6]			Nostalgia Wakefield [5]
1st	Don DeLoach - CO	722	1st	Bud Romak - CA	1116	1st	Bob White - CA	970
2nd	Phil Klintworth - TN	600	2nd	Carl Redlin - UT	1030	2nd	Bud Romak - CA	729
3rd	Jerry Murphy - CO	586	3rd	Jean Andrews - AZ	493	3rd	Herb Kothe - CO	530

Moffett Rubber [3]			Mulvihill [6]			O T Rubber Small Stick [9]
1st	Dan Keegan - NV	699	1st	Paul Andrade	1341	1st	Herb Kothe - CO	1260
2nd	Bud Romak - CA	675	2nd	Phil Klintworth	1018	2nd	Al Yuhasz - CO	1245
3rd	Herb Kothe - CO	666	3rd	Jim O'Reilly	689	3rd	Bud Romak - CA	702

O T Rubber Large Stick [7]			O T Rubber Small Fuselage [8]			O T Rubber Large Fuselage [6]
1st	Kevin Sherman - CA	1604	1st	Herb Kothe - CO	540	1st	Al Yuhasz - CO	842
2nd	Ron Wittman - CA	1080	2nd	Carl Redlin - UT	530	2nd	Jim O'Reilly - KS	509
3rd	Carl Redlin - UT	1042	3rd	Kevin Sherman - CA	514	3rd	Bob Goldie - CA	508

Catapult Glider [9]			Hand Launched Glider [6]			Towline A1 [3]
1st	Tim Batiuk - CA	1138	1st	Tim Batiuk - CA	412	1st	Bob Norton - CA	332
2nd	Lee Hines - CA	697	2nd	Dallas Parker - CA	306	2nd	Jean Andrews - AZ	105
3rd	Lewie Kear - AZ	455	3rd	Norm Smith - CA	277	3rd	Ken Kaiser - CA	41

Towline A2 [2]			Jetex/Rapier [3]			Jimmie Allen [2]
1st	Jean Andrews - AZ	373	1st	Larry Kruse - OK	259	1st	Herb Kothe - CO	360
2nd	Willard Smitz - AZ	20	2nd	Frank Pollard - WA	245	2nd	Frank Pollard - WA	312
3rd			3rd	Ben Nead - AZ	120	3rd

Junior Delta Dart [1]
1st	Bailey Archer - AZ
2nd
3rd

Aerial photo from Eut Tileston's camera equipped Lite Stick, flown from George Tallet's yard in Picacho, AZ - a short distance south of the Eloy field.	The RC OT parking area, well, part of it anyhow - Eut's photo plane again!	That's Kenny Kear in the foreground, watching Al Casey flying. [I think it was Gerald M who labeled this - "Like watching paint dry!"]	This is 'probably' Luther Peter's Arrowplane for 1/2A Texaco Scale RC.
Carl Redlin, noted FF rubber flyer, at RC OT!	Carl R, in more familiar [to us FFers] territory, winding a Mulvihill.	It's David Ramsey, a serious competitor in FF, and our favorite modeling columnist from Colorado [or should there be a comma between columnist and from?].	Elmer Nelson with a Coupe. Elmer works quite hard behind the scenes at making Eloy/Toltec Rd site the best, and the SWR a great contest
Mike Woodhouse from the UK with his F1B. Mike and his flying buddy Dave Oldham would always win the farthest distance travelled award [if we had one!].	Ken Kear, local boy done good! His Stinson 1/2A Texaco Scale RC drew admiring looks from all.	Art Hillis, from Colorado, with a SAM Large Fuselage rubber model.	Don Bekins gets ready to start up his Ethy.
Our faithful SAM Speaks scribe, Bruce Augustus, with a big Ram Rod.	Randy Burros, usually seen at FF, with a Bomber for Foxacoy.	Ron Thomas with a Playboy Cabin for OT FF fuselage.	There is more than one V-tail Swallow! This one is Ed Shilen's in purple and white.
Steve Roselle with his big Weathers Westerner.	Don Bekins in the background raising some dust.	Key Crawford with 3rd or 4th cup of morning coffee.	Ken Kear's as yet uncovered 'Condor' glider.
Cal Ettel launching.	It's Bob Angel's Klemm for 1/2 Texaco Scale RC.	That's Eut Tileston starting his Aerobile, with Luther Peters assisting.	Al Taffs with a Playboy.
	Sunrise at Eloy!

"As a charter member of the 'I won't build a Bomber Club', I can at least say, 'Isn't it amazing how many Bombers are on the list, and in so many sizes!" I was also tempted to write something about how many McCoy engines are on that list!

Eut Tileston responded, "Yes Al, but an Ohlsson powered V-tail Swallow beat all (McCoy powered bombers) in C ignition!"

Place	Flyer	Area	Model	Engine	Time

A Ignition
1	King		Bomber	Shilen .19	1191
2	Hawkins	430	Bomber	Torp .19	1184
3	Lewis	330	Bomber	Elfin 2.49	1084
4	Shilen				994
5	Bekins	330	Airborn	Shilen .19	968
6	Schmidt	360	Bomber	Elfin .19	953

Ohlsson Sideport
1	Tallent	1230	Bomber		1076*
2	Tileston	794	V-tail Swallow		917*
3	Bekins	760	Ethy		803*
4	King		Clipper		1236
5	Crawford	654	Thermal Magnet		299
6	Lane	520	Pixy		298

C Glow
1	Roselle	956	Weather's Westerner	K&B .40	939*
2	Hamler	900	Bomber	ST .40	789*
3	Hawkins	930	Bomber	Nelson .40	605*
4	King		Foote Westerner	Nelson .40	394*
5	Bishop	900	Bomber	K&B 6.5	DNF*
6	Lewis	666	Kerswap	K&B .40RR	1243
7	Taffs	900	Bomber	ST .40RR	1146
8	Crawford	800	Playboy	Johnson .35	792
9	Casey	800	Playboy	Fox .35	767

Antique
1	Samuelson	1500	Anderson Pylon	OS .61	1800
2	Hamler	900	Bomber	ST .40	1789
3	Lewis	1350	Bomber	ST .60	1571
4	Hawkins	1260	Bomber	McCoy	1524
5	Barkdull	1442	Dallaire	Forster .99	803

Spirit of SAM
1	Pearce	180	Triangle Sportster		1451
2	Tileston	120	ABC Robin		1412
3	Hiner	145			1088
4	Ettel	140	Jabberwock		1082
5	Peters		Red Flash		877
6	Bronaugh		Red Flash		870
7	Richards		3/4 Korda		176

Texaco
1	Roselle	1190	Anderson Pylon	OS .40 4 stk	2731
2	Hawkins	1260	Bomber	Irvine .40	2619
3	Taffs	900	Bomber		1482
4	Samuelson	1260	Bomber	OS .60 4 stk ign	1471
5	Hamler	1260	Bomber	O&R .60	1408
6	Bekins	1326	Airborn	O&R .60	1038

B Ignition
1	Bishop	582	Playboy	McCoy .29	1260
2	Bekins	330	Airborn	Torp .29	1190
3	Hawkins	618	Bomber	McCoy .29	1153
4	King		Bomber		1059
5	Lewis	490	Airborn	McCoy .29	791
6	Tileston		Sylph	ED Hunter	683
7	Schmidt	480	RC1	Torp .29	495
8	Tallent	630	Bomber	McCoy .29	399

Wakefield
1	Hiner	196	Gypsy		293*
2	Pearce				261*
3	Patton		Duplex		DNF*
4	Shilen				554

Electric Texaco
1	Hiner	370	Commando		2926
2	Benson	500	Bomber		2219
3	Rutherford	630	Bomber		1499
4	Pearce	630	Bomber		1462
5	Bithell	500	Bomber		1104
6	Roselle	582	RAZ05 [?]		914

Pure Antique
1	Angel	1260	Bomber	McCoy .60	1717
2	Hawkins	1260	Bomber	McCoy .60	1200
3	Bekins	1326	Airborn	McCoy .60	1134
4	Barkdull	1442	Dallaire	Forster .99	1033
5	Kutkuhn				422

AB Glow
1	Hawkins	820	Bomber	Nelson .29	519*
2	Bishop	695	Bomber	K&B 4.9	501*
3	Angel	660	Stardust Special	Torp .29	259*
4	Hamler	490	Airborn	K&B 3.5	OR*
5	King		Foote Westerner	Nelson .29	ATT*
6	Lewis	666	Kerswap	ST .29	1093
7	Schmidt	630	RC1	McCoy .29	871
8	Hatfield	366	So Long	OS .15	527

Unlimited [rubber]
1	Hiner	325	Red Flash		934
2	Shilen				424
3	Pearce				325
4	Lidberg		JA Bluebird		115

Electric LMR
1	Hiner	450	Baby Playboy		1289*
2	Redlin		Playboy		1200*
3	Pearce	630	Bomber		1171*
4	Shilen				DNF*
5	Benson	504	Bomber		1199
6	Roselle	582	Playboy Cabin		963
7	Bithell	630	Bomber		368

1/2A Texaco Scale
1	Hillis	274	Curtis Robin		843
2	Angel		Klemm		824
3	Tileston	253	Arrowplane		770
4	Kear		Stinson Reliant		519

Old Time Glider
1	Bekins		Thermic 100		1284
2	Angel		Thermic 100		849
3	Hawkins		Thermic 100		13

Brown Jr LER
1	Hawkins	1010	RC1		1338
2	Bekins	760	Ethy		1229
3	Tileston	794	V-tail Swallow		821
4	Shilen				660
5	Angel	640	Kloud King		584
6	Kutkuhn		Thermal Magnet		540
7	Lane	850	Long Cabin		296

Ohlsson .23 Ignition
1	Hawkins	475	Bomber		900
2	Tallent	535	Bomber		507
3	King		Westerner		505

Foxacoy
1	Tallent	875	Bomber	[coin toss]	840
2	Hawkins	820	Bomber	[coin toss]	840
3	Taffs	900	Bomber		790
4	Casey	800	Playboy		722
5	Burros	900	Bomber		183

C Ignition LER
1	Tileston	794	V-tail Swallow	O&R .60	546*
2	Hawkins	1260	Bomber	McCoy .60	520*
3	Bekins	960	Hayseed	McCoy .60	430
4	Bishop	900	Bomber	McCoy .60	0*
5	Tallent	1230	Bomber	McCoy .60	DNF*
6	Shilen				1138
7	Angel	1260	Bomber	McCoy .60	1101
8	Lewis	940	Kerswap	McCoy .60	1075
9	Lang				480
10	Taffs	900	Bomber	McCoy .60	420
11	Crawford	955	Hayseed	Anderson Spitfire	ATT

1/2A Texaco
1	Hillis	288	Playboy		1389
2	Tileston	240	Sylph		1312
3	Hamler	292	Airborn		1293
4	Angel		Playboy Jr		1235
5	Hawkins	318	Bomber		1233
6	Samuelson				1063
7	McLaughlin	342	Dallaire		781
8	Barkdull		Playboy		580

Grand Champion: Hawkins

Well, that's our contest. We [SW Regionals Modelers Association] may have as much fun putting the contest together as the contestants do flying in it!

We would like to see YOU here at Eloy next year - watch for announcements for the MLK long weekend in January, 2005.

Sponsors:
Southwest Regional Modelers Association
AL Lidberg, John Nystedt, Elmer Nelson, Steve Riley, Bob Angus, with a lot of assistance from Greg Tutmark, John Patton, Herman Andresen and Peter Brocks.

F1A Glider [22]			F1B Wakefield [17]			F1C Gas Power [6]
1st	Hector Diaz	1869	1st	Martin Schroeder	1822	1st	Randy Archer	2001
2nd	Pierre Brun	1775	2nd	George Batiuk	1817	2nd	Terry Kerger	1859
3rd	Ernesto Busnelli	1700	3rd	Jack Emory	1807	3rd	Guy Menanno	1665

F1G Coupe [20]			F1H Glider [11]			F1J Small Gas Power [6]
1st	George Schroedter	762	1st	Brian Van Nest	1467	1st	John Warren	1800
2nd	John Clapp	721	2nd	Mike McKeever	1434	2nd	Ed Carroll	1410
3rd	Bob White	692	3rd	Ryan Archer	1389	3rd	Guy Menanno	1366
We understand that Ryan Archer, an AMA Junior, may have set a record in F1H! Round-by-round details for FAI are available - contact AL : aalmps@aol.com