38 ModelAirplaneNews.com
FREE-FLIGHT SCALE
D
uring the past few years, event organizer
Leonard Bechtold, Bob Curry, and Len
Henderson, have been running the
now-well-established free-fl ight mass-launch
event during the Top Gun Scale Invitational. Open
to anyone who wants to compete, this free fl ight
(rubber-powered) scale event is open to Top Gun
pilots and their crews, event staff , photographers,
and anyone else who wants to show up early
morning for the mass launch. Th e planes must
have a minimum span of 36 inches for monoplanes
and 24 inches for biplanes. Th e models have to
represent actual human-carrying aircraft from
any time period. Th ese models can be built from
a kit or plans, but no ARFs or foamie airplanes
are allowed. Th ere are no limits on the model size
or the number of rubber motors used. Trophies
were awarded from fi rst place to third place in two
categories: Flight Duration (during mass launch)
and Craftsmanship. Offi cial rules for next year’s
event can be found on the website franktiano.com.
Top Gun Scale Invitational
After the craftsmanship inspection, the free-fl ight event included a mass launch to determine the longest-
duration fl ight.Th e prizes for the free-fl ight event were these beautiful laser-engraved cast-acrylic awards.First-place Craftsmanship winner Bob Curry shows
off his WW I S.E.5a Scout biplane.
Winner of the fi rst-place Duration was Dave Platt
with his Cessna 180.Th e lineup for the free-fl ight event.Dave Platt’s winning Cessna 180 climbs out from the mass launch.