Twister at VSC not good

[Larry Renger]

Although there are a few SIG Twisters around, this one was a real devil, destroyed a canopy, at least 6 models and damaged several others. Probably the event took under 30 seconds.

Al Hieger’s entire show and tell Ringmaster historical fleet was wiped out. A beautiful Jr Nobler snapped in half, a STANZEL electric kids’ model turned into trash, and John Wright’s “RingManster” damaged. I don’t know what else was damaged.

Models a couple of feet from the twister path never even twitched, the thing was that sharply contained.

[Dave Hull]

Oh man.  I sorry to hear that. Sounds like the Twister broke off the lines? But no one got hurt?  We'll have to give Al and John some moral support when they get back. Or at least not heckle them as much!

Be safe,

McSlow

[Dane Martin]

Oh man.  I sorry to hear that. Sounds like the Twister broke off the lines? But no one got hurt?  We'll have to give Al and John some moral support when they get back. Or at least not heckle them as much!

Be safe,

McSlow

No sir, just to clarify, it was a dust devil. But a very strong one. It looked like a tiny tornado!

[Larry Renger]

I have not gotten the list of destroyed models from Al as he was tied up judging about 50 flights at VSC today. Clearly misplaced priorities!

Both Bob Brookins and Gary Gingrich had their easy-ups destroyed.

Witnesses say the twister appeared just behind the line of sunshades, did its thing and disappeared about 30 feet later. Just perfect to do serious damage.

I think the major damage to the planes was the easy-up falling on them. Perhaps a closer eye witness will chime in with more accurate observations.

A few years ago, I saw one pick up and wreck an empty framework. No cloth canopy, just the metal frame. Are these really aliens who have sold Easy-up stock short, and are trying to drive the price down to make a profit?

[Dan McEntee]

  On of the last times I was able to make it to Tucson I remember one sucking someone's airplanes out of their van! I think it may have been Doc Holliday? And they always seem to hit right in the middle of the C/L area. Maybe something needs to be added or removed from that area??
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Brett Buck]

  On of the last times I was able to make it to Tucson I remember one sucking someone's airplanes out of their van! I think it may have been Doc Holliday? And they always seem to hit right in the middle of the C/L area. Maybe something needs to be added or removed from that area??

    I got my airplane broken at Golden State last year from a dust devil, so it's not just Tucson. Dust devils here are the real deal. I grew up in the midwest/southeast and I saw them occasionally, but they are nothing like what you get in the west. 40+ mph and <10 feet in diameter. I have seen lawn chairs 50 feet up in the air at rocket contests out in the flats.

     Brett

[Larry Fernandez]

A nasty dust devil blasted through the pits at last years Golden State Championships.
It pick up Brett’s airplane, flipped it over on its back, and slammed it onto someone’s flight
box breaking the horizontal stab off at the fuselage.
Brett was judging on another circle and didn’t know of the mishap.
Everybody was just stand there asking each other “who’s gonna tell  Brett”
It went something like this........
Awe $hit, who’s gonna tell Brett? (A bunch of guys standing around the broken plane with thier
hand in thier pockets, shrugging thier shoulders and shaking their heads)
Paul; you tell him Howard
Howard; Nope Larry can tell him
Larry; I don’t wanna tell him. Dave, you tell him.

I fled the scene and don’t know who broke the bad news to Brett

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt team

[Dan Berry]

  On of the last times I was able to make it to Tucson I remember one sucking someone's airplanes out of their van! I think it may have been Doc Holliday? And they always seem to hit right in the middle of the C/L area. Maybe something needs to be added or removed from that area??
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

Well, a source of hot air breeds thermals , so ...........

[Target]

I once saved my 10 minute sailplane flight in a dust devil at the Davis 2 day contest, with everyone watching me. I was literally the last pilot flying that round and was at 20' altitude at 5 minutes into the flight. Rode that bastard all the way back up to height enough to make 10 minutes. Got some applause from my buddies on the success.
They are even more dangerous to rc sailplanes that weigh the same as our stunt planes but with a 3m-4m wingspan. Easily flipped over, or picked up and spat out.

[Steve Fitton]

A dust devil hit the L-Pad a few years ago at the Nats.  Eric Viglione's Katana got flipped over and Bob Hunt's Crossfire got broken in half.  No warning at all.

[john e. holliday]

Well it was not a dust devil that got my planes at VSC.  It was usually the pilot error.  I remember Tom Morris trying to hang on to his canopy one year.  Another year one carried stuff down towards the lake, coolers and chairs.  And driving across New Mexico and Arizona it was not unusual seeing them going across the lands/fields.  Amazing how high the dust can get in them.

[mike londke]

I know of at least 2 skydivers killed by dust devils on landing out west.

[BYU]

A nasty dust devil blasted through the pits at last years Golden State Championships.
It pick up Brett’s airplane, flipped it over on its back, and slammed it onto someone’s flight
box breaking the horizontal stab off at the fuselage.
Brett was judging on another circle and didn’t know of the mishap.
Everybody was just stand there asking each other “who’s gonna tell  Brett”
It went something like this........
Awe $hit, who’s gonna tell Brett? (A bunch of guys standing around the broken plane with thier
hand in thier pockets, shrugging thier shoulders and shaking their heads)
Paul; you tell him Howard
Howard; Nope Larry can tell him
Larry; I don’t wanna tell him. Dave, you tell him.

I fled the scene and don’t know who broke the bad news to Brett

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt team

I told him he should take more care of an antique like that.

[Elwyn Aud]

I remember a dust devil coming through the main circle one year. It picked up one plane with lines attached and carried it into the active circle (might have been a practice flight).Busted it up pretty good after slammining it into the ground several times, but I think the flyer managed to dodge everything and land safely. I was standing near the pits at the time and managed to grab hold of the nearest plane and kept it from being blown away.

[Perry Rose]

Well, a source of hot air breeds thermals , so ...........

Now that's funny right there.

[Larry Renger]

It seems not to be a good idea to save everything. I don’t recall who, but some brave soul was carried some distance holding onto a canopy!

These beasties are nasty. I suspect anti-CL enemy action, or considering the FF stories, it is a plot by the RC guys. Now only if we could direct it against the drones! I would pitch in there. 

[Dave Hull]

Remember the video of the dust devil that picked up that school kid?

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=china+dust+devil+school+kid+airborne&&view=detail&mid=55C84CAAB2A35D5A7F7E55C84CAAB2A35D5A7F7E&&FORM=VDRVRV

That is strong!

McSlow

[Target]

Quite a lesson learned!

[Dane Martin]

Here's a pic of Al Heiger's fleet before the dust devil attack. It is 5 planes that he did up in the same colors. Al is a wonderful builder. They were all very nice planes.