The 1988 US Nationals

1988 Our lives in America»July -US Nationals at Virginia Beach VA
Monday July 25, 1988 We spend eight days on the road to get here and drive a distance of 3,755 miles. We pick Bob Whitely up from the airport and spend the rest of the day practising at the NAS Virginia Beach. Tuesday July 26, 1988 We present our planes for appearance judging. Ted Fancher's plane is on the bottom right, the Citation V. Kaz, Brian and Bob score 19 points (out of 20) while I score a miserable 16. My plane is the red one near the top of the picture on the right. Big Art with Jenni and Marie Adamisin, his daughter.
Beautiful Wildcat semi-scale stunt plane. For some reason, it scores only 5 points. We believe the reason for such a low score is that it doesn't match the judges' expectations of a glossy finish and detailed graphics. The builder never means that it should, it is supposed to represent a hardened WWII veteran that has flown many missions and is showing its age. Unfortunately, it does not fly all that well but it is a beautiful piece of workmanship. Ted is known for his distaste for .60 sized engines and goes through his act when someone gives him a ST 60 to examine. He manages to smile for the camera anyway. Arch and Art Adamisin chat with Henk De Jong from the Netherlands.
Big Art at appearance judging. Back in our motel room (The Knights Inn Virginia Beach at Lynnhaven Pkwy), about 7 miles to the NAS Virginia Beach.   We bring an Aussie Cowboy hat with us to present to Art. He loves it. Art passes his hat to Jenni . . . . . . and wears his hat while she chats with Betty Adamisin.
Art holds court. He is exchanging witty remarks with Bob Whitely sitting in the corner. Jenni and I share the room with Bob. Young Archie Adamisin flies a plane with an OS40FP prepared by his grandad Art. We gather around to listen to how Art prepares these engines. Oh oh, time to leave this young couple alone. Maybe get a bucket of water ready? Jenni's car parked outside our motel room the Knights Inn Virginia Beach at Lynnhaven Pkwy
This is Nadia. She is 61 years old and describes herself as a Pollack. She is great fun and we like her a lot. She plants a sloppy one on Brian. We're at the Country Kitchen in Virginia Beach Wednesday July 27 to Friday July 29, 1988 I leave the camera behind and focus on my flying. I do the best I've ever done at a US Nationals - this is my third - and come sixth in my circle. Unfortunately only the top 20, five from each circle, progress to the qualifying rounds where the top five fliers go to the top five flyoff to determine the Champion. I score my first ever >500 point score at a US Nationals and this is where the Expert Class begins. I'm pretty pleased. Brian qualifies for the top twenty.
Saturday July 30, 1988 Ted chats with Bill Simons and Jenni. Jenni is selected to judge the finals flyoff - quite an honour. Ted makes it to the final five. Here he practices with young Jim Bob Whitely comes sixth overall and is selected to fly the warmup flight for the judges. Paul Walker, a multiple winner of the US Nationals, is in the final 5.
Shareen Fancher is head of the tabulators, the people who add up the score sheets. This is a very important function. Hands on hips, she is probably laying down the law to someone. Bob and Brian wait for the call to warm up the judges. Good friend Jim Hoffman is on the right chatting with someone. Jim is sporting a black beard. Jim Casale, makes it to the top five flyoff. Windy Urtnowski also makes it to the final five.
As does Kaz Minato. Jim Hoffman chats with Miyako while Kaz' plane waits on the tarmac. Kaz has a practice flight. Brian assists Bob Whitely when it comes time to warm up the judges. Bob has a scary moment during the competition when he crashes his plane, not seriously but enough to damage the propellers - special unobtanium Bolly Props. He works on the airframe all night while I repair the props, set the pitch and balance them. He flies brilliantly the next day to come sixth overall. Tom Lay, Bob's engine man, looks on.
Brian gets ready to launch Bob's twin 35 powered plane. Bob flies the judges' warmup. Jenni is in the red shirt in the background judging his flight. Jenni is the only female judge this year. Jenni with the other judges scoring during Bob's warmup flight.
He very quickly settles into a near perfect flight. The twin OS35s pull the plane effortlessly. He names this plane "L.A. Heat." The final five relax before the flyoffs begin. Meanwhile, Bob wipes his plane down after his warmup flight. Ted looks on.
Archie helps young Arch get ready for his flight as a Junior (the top junior flies as well). Bob relaxes with Kaz, Cheryl and Miyako. Kaz surrounded by his admirers Bob and Jenni relax
Brian grabs a quick? hug. Kaz gets ready for an official flight. Each flyer flies three rounds with the best two rounds added for the final score. It's all over in just over an hour. Tom Lay assists Kaz get ready for an official flight. I hold the handle as Kaz walks to the centre to begin his flight. Miyako watches on while Kaz wears white gloves as is the Japanese way.
Kaz flies straight and level and after his flight, bows to the crowd as is the Japanese way. Miyako takes movies of Kaz' flight. Jim Casale gets ready to fly. Paul Walker starts his engine as Jenni looks on.
Don McLave from Washington state carries flight stuff away after Paul Walker's flight. Windy Urtnowski at the starting line. Don McLave launches Ted Fancher's plane during the flyoffs. Gary McLellan is judging. Everyone loiters as the first round completes.
More loitering. Mary Hazel writes down the final scores that decide who is the winner. She also writes the scores of the top junior and top senior. These scores also count towards the Walker Cup. Sadly, Mary has also passed away. The tall black guy on the right is Doug Figgs, the contest director. Brian and I first meet him during the 1984 World Championships in Chicopee Massachusetts. Arch Adamisin is the Junior Champion.
Nat Gifford is a senior (under 18) and wins the Senior Trophy. Jim Casale wins the Walker Cup. Senior, Walker cup and Junior winners The final five plus the Junior and Senior Champions.
The final five. Kneeling: Paul Walker and Jimmy Casale. Standing: Kaz Minato, Ted Fancher and Windy Urtnowski. Amay Adamisin, Big Art's grand daughter. Arch and Amy Adamisin. Note the badge she wears. Our good friend Claus Maikis in Germany made this for Big Art. Me and Amy
Me and Cheryl. Tom Neibhur and his daughter Jennifer. Tom was kind enough to pick up Brian and I up from Newark Airport in NJ when we first arrived on the East Coast for the 1984 World Championships. She is 16. We watch control line scale for a while.
In this contest, it's a person's building skills and attention to detail that matters, flying not so much. Back at our motel at the end of a long and wonderful day. Brian and Val have the unit next to ours. Saturday Evening July 30, 1988 For me, this is the worst part, the presentation banquet. I suppose it would be better if I actually won something. Ted with Tod Lee looking on. The Minatos
Tod and Cheryl had a bit of a thing going on. Big Art and Betty Adamisin. Amy and Arch Adamisin. Note the koala. Arch Senior and Jeff Adamisin.
Art regales the audience about his visit to Australia where he was invited to run a coaching clinic and to judge an Australian Nationals. There's the Koala again. Doug Figgs introduces the officials. The thing that amazes, like everything in America, is the size of the operation. All of these people are volunteers although the AMA pays them a small stipend to help with their transport costs. Nineteen volunteers in all, including Doug Figgs.
They even have volunteers to write each judge's scores onto the score sheets and runners who take the score sheets and give them to the tabulators. A "Pit Boss" pull tests every plane every day. Bob Whitely is presented with the Jack Sheeks innovation award for his removable wing twin powered stunt plane. 1988 AmaNatsVirginia 0091 a Kaz receives his fifth place trophy.
Kaz and Miyako We are the glamour couple I say that with all modesty. Our official documents
Sunday July 31, 1988 We're on the road again. We stay overnight at Cookeville, Tennesee a distance of 640 miles and 9½ hours drive. End of this segment