1960s Coupe d'Hiver Postal

[Mark Braunlich]

The flying for the 1960s Coupe d'Hiver postal is over.  I will wait a couple of days for any potential late scores to be sent in and then post the results.  Stay tuned.  Thank you to all who participated.

[FLYACE1946]

PLease let us know also if next year will be a go also. I really want to get one done for this .

[Mark Braunlich]

Results of the 2014/2015 1960s Coupe d’Hiver Postal Contest

1st           Sean O'Connor          Aus   Dwarf Dip(III?)  120  120  105  120  120 = 585
2nd  (tie)  Bruce Hannah          USA    My Coupe         120  120  120   65   120 = 545
2nd  (tie)  Marty Thompson      USA     My Coupe         107  120  120  120   78 = 545
3rd          Bill Dennis                UK    Barron Knight II   68  108    93   64    94 = 427
4th          Dave Putterill            Aus   Drobek             120    54    63   63    85 = 385

Sorry, I could not figure out how to put a table in this post despite icons for doing so.

Obviously the amount of interest shown in the two threads did not translate into actual building and flying as we only had five modellers/modelers submit scores.  I have doubts about trying this again unless there is real support for it expressed on this thread or privately.    My sincere thanks to those who did put forth the effort for this postal and congratulations to Sean O'Connor (SOC) for his victory.

[billdennis747]

Mark
Thanks for organising this Postal, which I enjoyed even more than your previous SE5 event. It´s a shame more of the talk did not translate into action, but there you go.
I have always dabbled in duration but this Postal led me into taking it more seriously, and as a result I have met a whole new group of people, who have proved helpful and friendly in the extreme.
As I have said before, I learned that the propellor is the crucial factor, at least until you get to flyoff rounds. I suspect not many will agree with me but, if doing it again, I would suggest removing the requirement of using the original prop design.
Congratulations to all who took part.
Bill

[FF Bruce]

Mark,
    Please don't give up on us.It takes a little time for an event to get going.My friend Marty and I found the whole experience quite fun.Having a dead line also put a little pressure on us to finish and leave time for flyable weather.We have many times kidded about being the only two free flights left on the plant and out on the field that is how it felt. No other planes to piggy back off of,just us a sky.As I remember it this is the very first postal contest I've ever participated in and I do hope it's not the last.Thank you Mark and way to go Sean.    

[dputt7]

Mark,
         Thank you also for running this event, way out of my comfort zone but I enjoyed it immensely.
If you can be persuaded  to run another worldwide event I would certainly try to participate, as far as rules go the idea of a vintage event is that the models should be of the period, there's no point improving the performance using latter technology or design.
                                                                                                                                 Well Done Mark!

[FLYACE1946]

Mark I agree with Bill. Lets try again next year. Looks like a great event to try.
Thanks for organising this Postal, which I enjoyed even more than your previous SE5 event. It´s a shame more of the talk did not translate into action, but there you go.
I have always dabbled in duration but this Postal led me into taking it more seriously, and as a result I have met a whole new group of people, who have proved helpful and friendly in the extreme.
As I have said before, I learned that the propellor is the crucial factor, at least until you get to flyoff rounds. I suspect not many will agree with me but, if doing it again, I would suggest removing the requirement of using the original prop design.
Congratulations to all who took part.
Bill

[Hepcat]

First, Congratulations to all the flyers.  Nowadays, flying sites and getting to them is often a problem and wherever in the world you are the weather can, literally, blow away your best intentions.

Second, Congratulations to all the builders.  Your comments, reports and discussions gave us, I think, the most enjoyable thread for a long time.

Finally, Congratulations and thanks to Mark for having the idea and carrying it through to fruition.  There may not have been many flyers at the end but I think it is often the case that the journey is more interesting than the destination.  Also, on Hip Pocket, I think there are many FF enthusiasts who, like me,  because of advancing years, can no longer get on to a FF field but take immense vicarious pleasure from following the activities of others.

John 

[USch]

Hi Mark and everybody writing about this topic,
 I did not partecipating in this competition because it was to late when I discovered the thread, but if you do it again next year I will try hard to be with you.

Reading the earlier post many memories from the beginning of the '60 came to mind, especially when I found the drawing of the only Cd'H I ever build in 1964, Lil Elias (?). Actually, I was scrolling the whole topic to find the exact name, but no way. Either my eyes are getting weeker, let's alone the brain 
or it is somewhere else 

Anyway, thanks for a nice idee to bring back these days.

Urs

[Mark Braunlich]

I have just learned that one of our two 2nd place finishers, Marty Thompson, is in the hospital.  Please join me in wishing him all the best for a speedy recovery and a belated Happy Easter.

[FLYACE1946]

Marty I hope you are back home out of the hospital very soon( read well and vastly improved ) Congratulations on doing so well in the coupe postal contest.

[THB]

Hi Mark - Sorry for not sending in my scores.
Had a great time building and flying the Guy Cognet coupe.
And flying with dputt...  and the whole getting models stuck in trees... koala attacks. That was all Dave by the way. So pretty impressive he still posted times.
Mine is a DNQ - did not qualify. It got one max - but I can't find the other times...  which were all under 120 anyway.
And on further research I could not verify the design publication date as being in the sixties. It's actually 70's...  I forgot to check.

Anyway, isn't there an old saying: If you can remember the sixties - you weren't really there...
:-)

Best wishes to Marty Thompson and well done SOC

cheers
Tim

[craig h]

Didn't Crashcaley have something to do with this event! I haven't seen any posts from her on this form for a while. I hope she is doing well and nothing has happened..

[Mark Braunlich]

Didn't Crashcaley have something to do with this event! I haven't seen any posts from her on this form for a while. I hope she is doing well and nothing has happened..

No, Craig h, Miss Caley Hand had nothing to do with this postal contest.

[Soc]

Mark and others,
please excuse my slow response to the posting of the long awaited results.
However I have the advantage that I can now see that the thread is still attracting quite a lot of interest.

I was surprised, and of course pleased, to see my name at the top of the list in the 60s Coupe results given my modest score.
I had assumed one or more fly-off rounds would be needed to get in the top three.
But then I saw that the number of entries was also very modest for an international postal.
Perhaps those who built models but didn't submit scores were, like me, expecting fierce competition.

I'm grateful that Mark provided the incentive to build a model that I would not have got around to otherwise.
It is Dwarf Dip III, the successor to Dwarf Dip II which has a 'simpler' parallel rib wing structure.
Charlie Sotich's designs always caught my eye when they appeared in the FF column in MAN.
I thought they were very practical, good looking and potentially 'hot'. DDIII lived up to my expectations.
I flew it in the State Champs here a few weeks ago coming second. See more below.

Its pleasing to see that others are keen, as I am, to take part in a second round of the Mark's concept.
I hope I can persuade at least one other local to have a go next time round.
 
So thanks to Mark for the idea and organisation,
to the other contestants and those who built and perhaps flew but failed for various reasons,to post results,
and to those who contributed to the discussion.
Congratulations to the runners up and best wishes to Marty.

Sean

[Soc]

60s Coupe competes in open field.

Bill Dennis is right about props being the key.
One reason I picked Dwarf Dip was its prop which I judged would work well 'as is'.
At the moment its my only operational coupe so I flew it in the combined mini event at the recent State Champs.

There was a modest breeze forecast and actual, and these days a heart condition limits my total range,
so I thought I might not complete 5 rounds. However I found good air, maxed twice and the competitive instinct kicked in.
In the next two rounds I paid careful attention to the streamers, picked the right moment to launch, and maxed again.
So to the last round by which time I'm getting tired.
I thought there had been a wind shift which was forecast, so I confused the steady direction of the streamers with the deviations which indicate nearby lift. I'm  standing there in classic two arms raised posture when I become aware that my belt is creeping earthward.
What to do ? If I grab the the nose and prop with one hand and attempt to hitch my pants up with the other I will likely be clumsy and damage the model. If I throw modesty to the wind I may have a better chance at a max, but possibly never recover my dignity.
So I chose the middle path, launched hastily a few seconds after the right moment and while securing my belt watched a good climb turn into a so-so cruise and an increasingly rapid descent. 102 seconds when I needed at least 115 !

That's Free Flight, but its still fun which is why we are all still enthralled.

Sean

[billdennis747]

Sean
Congratulations on your win. It was fun, wasn´t it.
I would like to do it again, but with a different model, solely because the prop on mine was woeful. It is unfortunate but inevitable that the effective choices are limited by the props, but no matter. It is essential to find a decently-propped model which can be entered in current events (I entered two others this winter with some success due mainly to keeping going) otherwise its use is limited.
Bill

[billdennis747]

Here are a couple of beautiful coupes.  These are the "My Coupe" renditions by my clubmates and friends, FF Bruce and Marty T, as mentioned above.  They put in their postal flights today, and I was there for the last couple of flights.  These planes fly as good as they look!

--Bill

Have the plans for this appeared on previous pages, to sabe me searching through, or where are they from?
Bill

[D/T]

Bill
Plans available from NFFS Plans (USA), listed as 'My Coup'.
Don

[billdennis747]

Thank you

[billdennis747]

Found the plan listing for My Coupe but there are no details. Can anyone tell me the span/chord/área and when it appeared? I like the geodetic rear end - unnecessary but much easier to cut and fit spacers!
Bill

[FF Bruce]

Bill if you go to page 9 reply 159  you will see a 3 veiw of the My Coupe.The detail on the body is not right but it will give you some of the info. you want.  Bruce

[FF Bruce]

I fogot to tell you it was designed in 1967 by Bill Vanderbeek ,won the USA nats in 67,68 and 69 I think the 67 & 68 nats he was in the senior class.The 3 veiw came out in 1969 in his club news letter (the 900 club) that is where the 3 veiw came from. Was also the small rubber model of the year some time in the 1970's.

[billdennis747]

Thank you

[FF Bruce]

Mark I just received the plaque.It is very nice and was well worth the effort.Will take it to Marty(we are sharing it) tomorrow after I feed his cat.He won't be going to his house for a few months.Count us in if you do it again.     Thanks, Bruce