Semi scale or Standard designs

[James Mills]

I'm thinking of building a semiscale for stunt and was curious what the thought is on the wow factor for flight scores.  Appearance points not withstanding, does the "wow" factor once the flight starts.  I got to thinking about this watching a past Nats video with my little boy and was watching one of Bill Werewages flights with his P 47.  The flight was impressive (I know its Werewage and he could probably make a stick on string fly well).  So I guess this is my question, If a semi scale maybe doesn't fly as well (say maybe the corner isn't as good as say one of Randy's designs), but flies the rest of the pattern well, will the wow factor maybe make it score as well or better?

James

[Steve Helmick]

I'd have to say yes. I've seen both of PW's B-17's fly, and while they don't fly a hard corner, the outside bottom corners are amazing, with that fin being so tall! Seemed like the airplane was 4' off the deck, with the tip of the fin being about 12" off. That said, I've never judged the B-17's. I'm glad PW went back to the ImpAct, actually. I'm sure he is also.  Steve

[john e. holliday]

To me it does not matter if its a conventional design or a semi-scale, you judge the pattern and not plane/pilot.  It still amazes me that scores are consistent going down the list when you know one maneuver was the pits and should have been an 11.   DOC Holliday

[phil c]

When I am judging I have a bit of a time with so-called scale planes that are really just a regular stunter(SV, Impact, etc) with a more or less slightly modified fuse profile.  I find that type of plane really detracts from the flight appearance, although I do my best to ignore it.

The more scale planes do make an impressive flight.  Most of them I've seen though have a soft corner and tend to fly oversize patterns.  Sometimes the impression points cover that up, other times they don't.