TopGun2013 Freeflight Event
Freeflight scale rubber models return to Top Gun!
By Bob Curry PHOTOGRAPHY: SEAN CURRY F
or me it’s hard to believe that 2013 was the 25th Anniversary of Top Gun, the iconic R/C Scale event cre- ated by Frank Tiano, and first held in Coral Springs, Florida, way back in the late 20th century, in April of 1989 to be specific.
Over the years the event has moved its lo- cation from Florida, to Mesa, Arizona, and then back to Florida in 1991, this time, at the West Palm Beach Polo Club. The event was held there for the next 11 years and then, after outgrowing the Polo Club field, moved in 2002 to its present loca- tion in Lakeland, Florida. Frank worked a minor miracle with the local Chamber of Commerce, enabling him to create a spectac- ular, purpose built, R/C airfield, adjacent to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.
Top Gun’s Silver Anniversary During the planning stages running up to this year’s Silver Anniversary, Frank want- ed to bring back one of the special events that had always been an integral part of the early Top Gun event and a perennial con- testant favorite: The Rubber Free Flight Mass Launch that was held early each morning, well before the first round of R/C flying. Not only would it be a fitting tribute
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to those early modelers but he now had “Paradise Field”, a beautiful, manicured grass field, covering acres of “soft” open space that would be perfect for a F/F Rubber event.
This year’s Top Gun event was held over five days, from May 1st to 5th. The Free Flight Mass Launch was scheduled for the morning of the last day, with open test flying before and after each day’s scheduled R/C flight competition rounds.
The rules were simple: the Mass Launch was open to any Top Gun pilot, caller, judge, staff, food or ice cream vendor.
There was no restriction on the type or size of model, only that it must be a scale freeflight subject and was rubber powered. By Saturday afternoon we had 16 names signed up for the Sunday launch. In fact, not everyone was aware of the F/F event and I saw more than a few F/F kits be- ing built under the tents. With lots of ZAP glue on hand and plenty of modeling elves to assist, the job was done very quickly. I also believe a world record may have been broken for the shortest time from “kit box open” to “kit model flying”!
It was neat to see the little F/F models be- ing test flown in early morning and late af- ternoon air over, around and sometimes
through the tent area. What was even more ironic, the folks struggling not to crash these “simple” little F/F models, were some of the best R/C scale pilots on the planet! Another thing I was pleased to see, and it’s something that I’ve noticed many times over my years in this wonderful hobby: if you put a rubber band powered model in the hands of a bunch of adults, invariably, you’ll see big smiles, hear lots of laughs and carry- ing on like a bunch of young kids at play— every time!
After Frank’s announcement in February to reintroduce the freeflight event at this year’s Top Gun, I knew I had to get busy building a model. Building and flying mostly R/C scale models for many decades (yes, I’m that old!), I still have very little experience with building or flying stick and tissue mod- els. However, I’ve always admired and re- spected the sage modelers who not only built and covered these delicate masterpieces of aviation art, but mastered the magic spells required to wish these models into the air, make them fly and gracefully return to the ground.
Besides me, three other of my team mates on the Static Judging staff also gave the event an enthusiastic thumbs up and imme- diately began building new models.
JULY 2013
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