Ok, I am going strong on a Great Lakes from a Sterling C/L kit.

I will have a three line BC, and that throttle will be the only operating function. (I cannot think of anything else! LOL!!)

Do I need a pilot(s)? 

Please give me a brief breakdown of what i should take to my first Scale contest.    I have read the rules, but reading the rules really hasn't helped me much!

Parachute for the pilot!

Thanks, Chuck. (and you others! LOL!!)

I will add a pilot, no problem.  I would really like to make one of the Golden Age Racers into a Scale entry.  I like the planes and I don't *think* the racing event will make a comeback.........    Another *throttle only* set of planes to draw from!  I am looking at keeping things simple for now.  No planes with flaps, retracts, etc.   That *should* help with getting in the flights.

Bill;  I think you will find many who are willing to help you with your entry into scale. I know when I started 4 years ago, I knew absolutely zero about scale. Like any form of modeling compition, you have to "pay your dues". As time goes on, it gets easier. I drew on the knowledge and experience of many in the c/l scale arena. Guys like Jack S., Richard S., Chuck S., Dale C., and Charlie B. to mention a few. And the neat thing about it all, they were more than willing to help. Even at the "Nats", when it can get a little hecktic. They really care about you doing well. All tho, Richard S. told me this past FAI Team trials, if I scored higher than he, get someone else to help next time. joke, joke, he was just being funny. I don't think he meant it. Have fun with c/l scale, they are a nice bunch of people. If I can be of any help, give me a buzz.

Blessings
Allen

Thank you, very much, Allen.  Dale is a member of the club in Huntersvile (closest one to me!) but the field is a *little* over 2 hours away.  Dale is a super guy!  I see Richard on occasion, and he *has* given some pointers. 

I will just have to "suck it up", finish a plane, and enter somewhere.  Then learn from my mistakes.  The whole documentation thing really puzzles me, sometimes.  Just hit in the head too many times!

Thanks, guys

Bill,
Documentation doesn't have to be tough. Put yourself in the judge's shoes. You need to present outline information and color/markings information. Don't confuse the man! The judges won't argue the validity of your documentation if you get it from published or on-line sources. In other words, don't make anything up. Then present it in a logical order and tie things together so the judge is not inclined to think you are trying to sneak something past him. Don't confuse the man! If there is any way you can get a chance to seriously judge someone else's model, do it. You will quickly see what works, or more likely doesn't work, in terms of documentation. Finally don't do anything to make him wonder how you knew how to build or paint the model a certain way. If he asks himself questions that your documents don't answer, your score will be lower. For example, if you present documentation that says the plane was "medium green" and you paint it with Brodak "Middle Green" and don't do anything else the judge will wonder what "medium green" is supposed to look like. And a Brodak "Middle Green" chip would not convince me if I were the judge because I would ask myself how you knew that Brodak "Middle Green" was the same as "medium green."
Chuck

Bill;

I love visual aids. Seeing someone else work helps me, maybe this will help you. This is not the only way but this has worked for me. So along with Chucks advise and some pictures, maybe this will take away a little of the mystery.

Blessings
Allen

Thanks, Allen, and all,

That is a BIG help.

Bill <><

Come on Bill,
You've got to post a picture every once in a while!
Chris...

LOL!!!!!!  I don't think about that part! LOL!!!!!  Plus, I would have to move everything somewhere else to take a picture....... 

John,
My suggestion on the size of the photos would be to consider two things: 1) you are only allowed 8 pages for your presentation, so you might not be able to include everything if you use the big photos. 2) If the small photo shows the detail you want to present, then go ahead and use them. And yes the Bob's photo pack is legitimate documentation.

Color is a tougher question--for just the reasons you listed. It tends to vary in photos, the top of the plane is lighter and the bottom is darker. The color varies from one shot to the next. Which shade are you going to match? Which spot on the photo is the judge going to select? Make it clear in your presentation what the judge ought to compare to. The photos are very good for the "markings" portion of your "color and markings" presentation.

When I am judging I spread the 30 available points over everything covered by the category. Hence on a multi-colored Extra 300 with lots of striping and logos the exact color match only gets a couple of points because I am looking at the size and shape of the stripes, the size and fonts of the advertising, and the placement of all that stuff. On a J-3 Cub the yellow better be the exact shade and the lightening bolt better be exact because that is about all I have to look at.

Disclaimer: other judges opinions will probably vary

Chuck,

All good info.  Thanks.  At this stage of the game I hope build something that flyes. When I get past that point I will start worring about the details. But thanks again for the great input.