This looks like great fun. Will have to give it a run or two sometime soon.
This looks like great fun. Will have to give it a run or two sometime soon.
And now, Course Flags! The flags are interchangeable to allow for different courses.
A green flag indicates that a plane keeps the numbered pylon to the right (on a counterclockwise course, the plane would have to circle the pylon). A red flag indicates that the plane keeps the pylon to the left (a simple pass counterclockwise).
Course Flags.pdf
Bleacher Auckland.pdf
Bleacher Boise.pdf
Bleacher Dayton.pdf
Bleacher Red Point.pdf
Here is a less complicated set of bleachers and some pictures of construction
I make all of my folds crisp by running my fingers along the edge of a metal ruler.
The eaves are folded in and glued down first.
The rear eave is folded and glued. The roof peak and forward eave is done the same way.
The ends are glued in once all of the folds have been made on the basic structure.
The finished bleachers and starting line. I ultimately decided to back the starting line and pylon stripes with 0.020" plastic sheet to minimize curling.
Yesterday was the inaugural three plane race at Captain Dobbs’ Royal Flying Circus. The contenders consisted of a new pilot, Tim in t in a Spad VII, myself in a Airco DH2, and Suzanne, always one for a challenge, flew an RAF RE8.
At the end of the first turn of the prestart, things were pretty tight. Everyone was going for altitude, and in my Airco, I was trying to stay out of the way.
At the end of the second turn of the prestart, things were sorting themselves out. Our newby was proving to be a quick study, and his Spad’s hispano suiza was thundering as he led the charge for the start line.
Everyone was clear to start at the end of the third prestart turn. As the massive RE8 hung to the right side of the course, the folks in the near end of the bleachers started to get nervous.
The crowd cheered as the Spad flashed across the start and they got a wingtip-eye view of the RE8 as it lumbered by in hot pursuit.
Things settled down as the Spad led the race past the first pylon.
The second pylon had to be passed on our starboard wingtips, which meant threading between it and an inconveniently placed watertower.
For the RE8, things went a little pear-shaped for Suzanne, as she found out just how wide her plane was and clipped the first pylon while trying to cut inside the Spad. The big plane absorbed the damage and kept on going.
The agile Spad and Airco both cut inside the watertower. An unfortunate wind shift did make the Spad clip the tower in passing, but with minimal damage, the plane maintained the lead.
Suzanne chose to swing wide with her flying truck, and while missing the watertower, set herself up for a collision with the start pylon!
The RE8 shrugged off the collision and settled in to third place.
The Airco may be slow, but it can turn! I made up for my lack of speed and turned inside the Spad.
With the cylinders of my rotary engine chattering, I circled the pylon and headed for the third and final pylon. In the Spad, Tim pulled a slick maneuver and immelmanned, flying straight back past the pylon to avoid the watertower.
Not wanting to lose any more time, Suzanne banked her big bird, this time determined to thread a slot only slightly wider than her wingspan.
…And she was in the clear!
Meanwhile, the Spad slipped across the finish line, a clear winner!
But in the end, it turned out we were all winners, as while wrestling her RE8 around the course, Suzanne had also prepared a fabulous pork tenderloin!
Last edited by Dobbs; 12-29-2019 at 18:34.
Yea! Well done!
Another great race to the finish!
Another great race, Dobbs. Might have to give this a try at the upcoming Congress of Gamers.
This is spectacular! I've always wanted to do the same, so it is nice to see it in action!
Excellent racing action!
Your 3D course is spectacular!
The choice of planes has a huge effect on the result, though.
As I found with my "Death Race" game, if one plane has longer arrows on its cards than another, it will outrun its slower rivals and be almost impossible to overtake.
That's why I give everyone the exact same plane (but in different colours) so it is pilot skill that makes all the difference, not speed or climb rate or manoeuvrability (or damage points!).
In your game above, the SPAD is significantly faster than the other two planes, and once it got it's nose in front it never looked like losing.
Perhaps try a mix of planes which all have the same speed band, for a closer finish?
I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!
We gave Tim the plane with higher performance to offset our experience. It was my intention to give our planes some extra starting altitude and maybe some extra handicap points to compensate, but I forgot until we had started and bringing it up while racing seemed like bad form.Originally Posted by Flying Helmut
Excellent racing action!
Your 3D course is spectacular!
The choice of planes has a huge effect on the result, though.
As I found with my "Death Race" game, if one plane has longer arrows on its cards than another, it will outrun its slower rivals and be almost impossible to overtake.
That's why I give everyone the exact same plane (but in different colours) so it is pilot skill that makes all the difference, not speed or climb rate or manoeuvrability (or damage points!).
In your game above, the SPAD is significantly faster than the other two planes, and once it got it's nose in front it never looked like losing.
Perhaps try a mix of planes which all have the same speed band, for a closer finish?
So Dobbs, I just discovered the elves have ordered the complete set of Hallmark Thompson Trophy Air Racer Christmas tree ornaments hoping to make a Thompson Air Race Game. They even found actual cross country race courses on the web from the same vintage -1930's! What am I to do? The courses were miles between pylons on some of the races, could have some interesting events in the cards! So far a GeeBee R1, GeeBee Z, a Wedel Williams #44, Travelair Mystery R, Laird Super Solution, and several others are on their way to Phoenix! This could be a big problem . . .
I covet your Thompson Trophy ornaments!
As to miles long courses, Suzanne and I have determined that what model railroaders call "selective compression" is an absolute must in order to finish a race in a timely fashion.
Would your elves consider sharing the links that they found?
Gotta go! The Great Thompson Trophy Ornament Internet Search is calling....
Last edited by Dobbs; 01-02-2020 at 14:55.
The elves are getting out of hand . . .
Great race, Dobbs!
It would be to see all those specialist aircraft in a race, David.
It seems a lot of fun!
Beautiful, Clipper! Those elves deserve extra pay!
The Surprise, Arizona air racing bleachers, with local air marks, for your fancy planes:
Bleacher Roof Surprise.pdf
Bleacher Front Fans.pdf
Bleacher Roof Underside.pdf
They look great! I can't wait to see them on stands.
VERY COOL! thanks!
The elves are getting out of hand . . .
Wow, what a collection! Lets see how many I can name: Gee Beex2, Staggerwing Beech, Laird Solution, Mr Mulligan, Weddel Williams and thats where I run out.
So far our tree collection is complete, these are the air racers of that line but duplicates for playing. Your identification is correct, missed the Travel air mystery racer and the Stinson Reliant (not a racer). Should be a fun project-but unfortunately we are packing for our trip to the NZ on the 17th. So little time : (
Not sure how this got done, but the elves have ways.
3/8" magnetic washers and upholstery tacks from Home Depot. Pegs drilled for the tacks and so on.
Washers glued to planes . . .
Make dinner, clear dishes . . .
Do some test banks and dives . . .
Repeat
Rough up track domes with course sand paper . . .
Print off the Dobbs sheets of delight, cut, paste, and race! Very enjoyable! Thanks Dobbs!
Last edited by clipper1801; 01-06-2020 at 19:27.
Nice! Clipper those are awesome!
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