saturday morning at the pirate challenge started out nice...
TRANSCRIPT
Saturday morning at the 2014 Pirate Challenge started out nice but the great
weather from Friday would not last the day. Light showers in the afternoon did
little to dampen the enthusiasm of the hardcore flyers you see here.
Wally Farrell Mat King and Jim DeTar prepare to launch in the WWI mass
launch event. In the first photo above, Mat is aided by has wife Vicky King. It
may not look it but the competition was stiff. Jim DeTar took home the
Kanone for this event.
On Sunday, the weather reprised the magnificent conditions of Friday.
Very light (but variable) winds with downright calm sometimes. This
was similar to the conditions experienced at the Empire State Free
Flight Championships a few weeks earlier. Thermals were not especially
strong but they were plentiful and we didn’t lose too many models
(none?) in the cornfield. There were a few fly aways; Bob Clemens lost
another Farman 400 and Wally Farrell lost his No‐Cal Cardinal. Many
flights (even some over three minutes) were on the field with just a
short walk required. Several contestants commented that the flying
conditions were the best ever experienced at Geneseo.
At left (from Saturday) Gerard Kondrat shows off his Ambrosini SAI‐207
for WWII Combat. Below is the first round of WWII on Sunday; from
the left, John Houck (flying a Kate), Mark Houck (with a Mig 3), Maria
Kondrat (with an Ambrosini), Wally Farrell (Corsair), Jim Detar (Curtiss
SB2C Helldiver), Gerard Kondrat (with an Ambrosini) and Mat King
(flying Mig 3).
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Pirate Challenge 2014 National Warplane Museum, Geneseo, NY
I missed the Pirate Challenge and all I got was this report. Arghhh!
Yankee Air Pirates FAC Squadron 53
Below are the flyers present at the
event closing on Sunday. L‐R, Mark
Rzadca, John Houck, Bob Foss, Mark
Houck, Girard Kondrat, Vicky King, Mat
King, Julie Farrell, Wally Farrell, Jim
DeTar and Maria Kondrat. Bob Clemens
was present on Friday but the weather
and flying were so good your editor did
not take any pictures! Sorry Bob.
At left, Mark Houck launches his bonus
point rich P‐38 Dime Scale. This model
is from Comet and Mark found an
original kit on eBay for a modest price.
Tip: asymmetric thrust line
adjustments may be the key to
getting this very attractive dimer to
fly. Check with Mark for details.
So much for our third Pirate Challenge. Everyone had
so much fun we plan to do this again next year. (Some
people never grow up.) Keep an eye on your Thermal
Journal. If you didn’t make it this year you won’t want
to miss it again next year! Mark Rzadca.