Our favorite chinese restaurant

Appearance judge day

Practice day #2

They looked very tired from the long trip but the first day was started.

US Nat's 2009

We are on the trip to the Muncie IN USA.

Yuhi cleaned his Stalker76SE as a preparation for the contest.

After one year using of the PA75, It is the time for the maintenance.
Oki cleaned it.

The other side-mount model for flight trimming.
A father will need to find the best location of the tank effect for the running characteristic.

BM'09

A father had been finishing up the '09 model while Yuhi takes a rest from the painting of his model.
We knew the Stalker76RE is a wonderful engine, and the operation characteristics improved in addition by making it equipped with the side mount.
Now it became ready to fly.（1780ｇ）

Painted the first base white color and piled up patty at the bad spot.

Preparation for the base painting.
Needed to remove the Mold lubricant from the surface at first by using #320 wet sandpaper.

Yuhi made sure the stabilizer's incidence, and it became ready to paint.

We put frames in the fuselage as a Tuned Pipe model.

We made a stabilizer put on the fuselage.

The wing was done.

Yuhi worked for the bellcrank area today.

We use the Yatsenko wing gear system for the tuned pipe model.

We started to build a Tuned Pipe model next.

The first flight was done.
Yuhi's ARK WIND w/Stalker 76SE flew very well.
He said that it pulls very hard.
A father told him to become accustomed to it.

Preparation for the first flight.

Oki helped Yuhi's paint design and painting work.

Today was the day for the base color.

We assembled the wing,engine and cowl on to the fuselage.

We built the main gear mount today.

We worked for the engine mount today.

completed the wing.

Linkage in the wing.

We made the hinge slots today.

Yuhi installed the weight box too.

We installed the Lead out gide on the composite wing.

BM COMP-2 #3 Proto

Parts of the prototype of BM COMP-2 of the third times were made.
The first time and the second times were NG ..They were too heavy.
The third one is a practical use capable barely levels.
Yuhi will assemble this airframe in the future to fly this at the US Nat's 2009.
A father will help him to complete it.

Leave Randres to Japan on Aug-4-2008

Final ～ Banquet

VERY BAD DAY #2
Oki's handedness was bitten by a bee just before a competition and has swelled up. And he tripped on a step of the center circle, and the backup airplane crashed again at the round-4. A father asked him whether he quit F2B but Oki said that he never give up. Mr.Claus Maikis gave the badge to him.

BAD DAY #1
Oki crashed his #1 airplane at the Round 2. But the escargot was delicious.

JUL-29-2008-3
Today was the model inspection day. The electric model was measured the weight with the battery.
Like a fuel tank of the engine airplane, it was said whether the battery was emptied a joke.

JUL-29-2008-2

JUL-29-2008

JUL-28-2008-3
Oki is getting better flying good pattern since he come to France. He eat a lot and sleep well too.(Photo by Howard Rush)

JYL-28-2008-2
Meeting old frends here and there.

JUL-28-2008

JUL-27-2008-2
It is the scenery from a hotel to the flying site.
It is a drive of about 30 minutes.

JUL-27-2008
We got breakfast with mobile baker and went to the practice field. The lunch at the French restaurant was very delicious.

JUL-26-2008
Although we are every time, the first day is very busy by the adjustment of the engine and airplane.
Because it is very important, as for the adjustment to adapt it to a local condition, we are earnest.

WCH 2008 France

We fly from Narita Airport to Frankfurt Airport and go to Landres France by a rent-a-car. It takes more than six hours by car.

Oki did final practice today and started preparation for the trip to WCH that will be held in France.
I made the light weight version boxes.
One for two fuselage(total weight is 3kg). The other is for two wings (Total weight is 5kg).
This is the half weight of our usual box.

Because the temperature in Japan is high in the past weeks, I installed the heat sink on the motor.
The heat sink is a head of the ENYA15 engine.
It works very good.

A reserve airplane also completed, and the test flight was done.
The performance is very good.

The first flight was very successful.

Eternal 2008

Oki's new Eternal is almost done.
It is an electric powered model for the WCH2008 in France.

Wow! We are on a newspaper!
Thank you very much to Ed & Peggy Capitanelli for sending it to me.

We enjoyed a lot in this contest.

Yuhi got 483point of the score!

Nice color of the cakes,
and small party at a hotel room.

A master Bob Whitely.

We went to the "OLD TUCSON"too.

We went to the Desert Museum.

Appearance judging day.

kaz practiced for the OTS event.

After the sleep of 36 hours, Yuhi revived.
We practiced.

Yuhi fell down by vomiting ,diarrhea and fever.
A father nurses him.
As for Yuhi, he has one day for recovery to his official flight.

We had a chance to see a precious memento of Mr.Bob Palmer.

Masaru Hiki has overheating problem of his Fox35.
Smaller prop and larger size venturi should be worked for this problem.

A shopping day.

A practice flight start.

We ate Chinese food at once.

Two world champions were flying their model at the contest site.

This "Quality Inn" dose not have a quality.
Our room has many problems. But we have to endure it.

VSC-20

We are coming to Tucson Arizona!

Masaru Hiki 57Nobler Fox 35 (Classic)
Harumi Sasaki Oriental OS FP35 (Classic)
Akane Sasaki (Supporter)
Yuhi Minato Fancy Pants Brodak 40 (Classic)
Kaz Minato Humongous Stalker 40SE ( OTS & Classic)

Because it was a snow, the Fancy Pants's transportation box was made.

BM COMP-2 PROJECT

I have built a master mold of the BM COMP-2.
This will be a one piece structure
"UNKIND KIT".
This is that you have to spend some time to build. But the it's price will be lower.
I am hoping that it will be able to release on the end of 2008.

The Fancy Pants was completed.
It is ready to fly!

Yuhi pasted the seal of the character to the airframe, and sprayed the clear urethane paints on it.

A father cut out the character that will be pasted to son's airframe by his cutting machine.

After the thought, Yuhi decided to paint a simple blue line on the white base.

It came from the United States so that Mr. David Fitzgerald might purposely confirm the advancement condition of the production of Yuhi's Fancy Pants of playing an active part.

He began to cover the main wing and the tail with a plastic film.

Before spray the final white, he put a canopy on the fuselage.

Yuhi sprayed white paint on the fuselage after fihished sanding the base cort,

He is sanding the putty & sealer on the wood to make flat surface by using #240 wet sandpaper.
Not much baby power remain on there.

The putty is made mixing more baby powders with the polyurethane paints.
Yuhi rubbed it into to grained ditch.

After sanding the base coat,
He sprayed polyurethane sanding sealer that was made by mixing baby-powder into the white paint on the fuselage today.

Yuhi tried painting.
He sprayed clear Polyurethane paint as a base coat at first.

Yuhi's Fancy Pants was wood finished.
It took a little more than 3 months from laid the ribs on the plans
He did about 80% of the whole work so far and he will start covering & painting.
A father helped him to complete the control linkage & disassemble structure.

It will be wood finished with a little more time!

Today was very nice day for flying.
However the fuselage work was proceeded.
He is trying to complete the Fancy Pants till the end of this year.

Today a father was testing the performance of the Stalker 76RE engine with his Blue Max in windy condition.
After flight, Yuhi worked for the rear upper fuselage of his Fancy Pants.

The stab is ready to glue on to the fuselage.

The work for the simple "take-apart" construction was started by father.

Rainy day again.
He finished making stabilizer today.

Today was rainy so we did not go fly.
Yuhi tried to finish the work of the flaps.
It was too dificult for him to make hinge slots so a father did it instead of him.

Installing the weight box today.
He made a too big hole for the weight box by mistake.
A father helped him for fixing it.
And the center planking as next.

A father told Yuhi that the adjustable lead out
guide is the worthy item for CL plane.
So Yuhi decided to put it on the wing tip.

Yuhi is checking the fuselage. And father make the fuel tank.
Amica is looking how to use the solder.

I will help making the linkage and build as disassembleable structure
but he will build it by himself other than that.

FANCY PANTS PROJECT

I decided to come with my 3rd kid Yuhi Minato(11 years old) to the VSC-20 on Mar-2008.
So I chose the "Fancy Pants" for him to bring there.
The reason of this choice is that it says the Fancy Pants flys good in wind
and he will have to fight with famous "Arizona wind"at there.

競技結果

王樹がセニアの部門で優勝しました！
こちらに来てかなり上達しました。
Open:
1. Orestes Hernandez (Walker Cup winner)
2. Derek Barry
3. David Fitzgerald
4. Paul Walker
5. Brett Buck
Sr.:
1. Oki Minato
Jr.:
1. Ryan Young
Advanced:
1. Josias Delgado

TOP5 DAY

いつものようにホテルのコンチネンタルブレックファースト、お気に入りはワッフルにメープルシロップ。
会場では６：３０から飛行可能なので、それにあわせて夜明け前の移動です。
朝は微風、昼近くなって強風条件となりました。

ＴＯＰ２０ DAY 晩

明日の出番は王樹のみ・・夕食はスーパー、アメリカ時代に良く行ったＭＥＩＪＥＲに買出しにゆきました。
・・といってもワインとパンのみ、ついでにガススタンドへ１ガロン３ドルと以前の３倍の価格になっていました。
ちなみにアサヒスーパードライはカナダ製

TOP20 DAY 終了

風は強くなく、良条件の１日でした。
オープンの部　比気８位　ミナト１２位
アドバンスの部　王樹３位
・・みんながんばりました！
皆、それぞれにベストフライトが出来たと思います。
３人がそれぞれ違うサークルで２回づつ、次々に飛さざるを得ないスケジューリングでとても忙しく助手の確保が大変でした。
明日、王樹はセニア（１５～１８才）の部で飛ばします。
・・やっぱり、食事はいつものように一昨日も、その前も、昨日も、今日も「レストラン四川」・・バフェ形式で、スープと大皿山盛り２皿、最後に、クッキーとチョコと山盛りアイスクリームをたいらげます。
明日もかな？？

さて、Nat'sクイズ、「ミナトは何回エンジンをおろしたでしょうか？」の答えは「２回」・・でした。
残念ながら正解者なしでしたね・・パイプの長さ調整の回数は数知れず、持参したインシュロック６０本くらい・・は
ほとんどすべて使いきってしまいました。プロペラも何回変えたことか・・・今思えば、原因は燃料かも？？と思ってます。帰国してからいろいろ実験してみるつもりです。

電動機

PAUL WALKER 氏の電動インパクトのパワーシステムはカナダのスタント屋のKIM DOHERTY氏とコンバット屋のPAT MACKENZIE氏が共同で作ったものだそうです。
今日はKIM DOHERTY氏の機体を見せてもらいました

調整が終わらない・・

今日から競技が始まってしまったのにまだセッティングが煮詰まっていません。
ランディ・スミスのアドバイスでチューンドパイプの同期位置を中間のバッフルに
合わせるために２５ミリパイプを伸ばしまして調整をやり直したのですが、どうもスムーズに
エンジンが回らないし、メリットが実感できなかったので、当日の朝練習で、パイプの長さ
を元に戻し、タンクの位置も変え、ベンチュリーを７．８から７．５にしたらマアマア良く
なったので、これで本番に臨んだところやはりダメ・・
ひとり２軍練習場でアクセクしていて、比気さんの本番の助手もできずじまい・・（すんません・・）
明日にそなえて、プロペラで再調整することにしました。

ひとつの「救い」は王樹の機体は手間いらずで、最初からセッティングがばっちりだったこと・・
私のと王樹のはすべておなじはずなのに、同じようにいかない原因はなんだろう？
たぶん帰国してからその原因が判明するのでしょう・・・

練習日終了

比気さんと王樹はセッティングが決まりましたが、いつものことながら私はジタバタしております。
パイプの長さやプロペラ、プラグに燃料・・・大風の中何回も飛ばして疲労困憊です。
ランディ・スミス氏にいろいろお世話になりました。
とりあえず・・写真のみ投稿します。

機体準備

今日、初日はアピアランスジャッジがあります。
機体組立＆磨き中・・
さて、横山さんと大畑さんに問題を出します。
予想クイズです。
「今回ミナトはこの後、競技が終わるまでに何回エンジンを外すでしょうか？」

ホテル

評判が悪い？BEST WESTERN HOTEL
・・改善されて？接客も部屋も満足です。

成田ーシカゴーインディアナポリス

飛行時間１１時間後、シカゴ空港で乗り換え、
このあと小さな飛行機でインディアナポリスへ向かいます。
IPからはレンタカーでマンシーへ

今回はうどん屋

恒例、成田空港でのお食事風景
比気さんは「田舎きのこうどん」
王樹「カレーそば」
その後、王樹は本屋へ・・

US Nat's 2007

０７全米大会に参加することにしました。
今年は息子その１（王樹）もいっしょです。
セニア部（１５～１８才）とアドバンスの２部門にデビューです。
私と比気さんはオープンに参戦です。

バンケット

なんと・・・オールドタイム　３位
　　　　 　クラシック　　　 ４位
そして、オールドタイムビューティーアワードを獲得してしまいました。

長年会ってなかった友達ともたくさん会えたし、ハッピーツアーでした。

アメリカのサイトより

画像借用しました。

古いエンジン

昔はイグニッションエンジンでした。（今はグローエンジン）
チャレンジしたいけど、排気音が大きいので日本では無理かな？

２０年来のお友達たちです。

競技のようす

市内にあるコロンバスパ＾ク（Uコン専用飛行場）での開催です。
全米から２００人以上集まっています。
種目はオールドタイムスタントとクラシックスタントで、元全米チャンプ、世界チャンプがあちこちに居ます。

機体の外観審査の様子

２０点満点で点数がつけられて、飛行点に加算されます。
最高得点の中からコンコースエレガンスも選ばれます。

アリゾナの景色

ＴＵＣＳＯＮは砂漠の中の街です。
放射冷却で朝寒く、昼はとても暑いです。やはり温暖化の影響で今年は
記録的暑さだそうです。
模型のエンジンも不調になるほど・・です。

食事

やっぱり、中華と寿司・・・
オーストラリアの友人を寿司バーに連れていったら喜んでいただけました。

TUCSONの地図

前回同行した福田さんに頼んで地図をメールで送ってもらいました。
これを見て模型屋にゆきました。
（以前に行ったのにまったく場所を忘れてしまってました。）
日曜日に行ったら・・なんと休み・・
月曜日に再度行って買い物をしました。

Bob Whitly

アメリカ時代にお世話になった師匠です。
今年６６歳だそうです。
出会ったときは４６歳？・・・当時もっと高齢に見えたのですが・・・

TUCSONのホテル

Tucson Arizona

Holiday Inn Express です。 インターネット環境が良いこのホテルを選びました。 競技会場まで車で約３０分かな？

ビンテージスタントチャンピオンシップ

第１９回ビンテージスタントチャンピオンシップ(VSC-19)に参加することにしました。

アメリカ在住時代（1987～1993年）の師匠であるBob Whitelyさんから

メールをもらい、会いに行きたくなって急遽参加を決めました。

2007年　日本チャンプの比気　勝氏と同行です。

改めて思い起こしてみると、昔は結構頑張っていた自分がいます。

1988 Classic 3位（オールアメリカンJR  FOX35）

1991 Classic 1位（シャーク45 ST46）

1993 Old time １位（オールアメリカンJR  FOX35）

2001 練習中墜落（1952年型ノーブラ　OS25LA）

・・・に続き　６年振りの参加です。

さて今年はどうなることやら・・・

画像は同行の比気さん（成田空港にて）