Dawn Patrol Rendevous type event for NZ?

[Brett]

The Dawn Patrol Rendevous is a bi-annual (usually) fly-in event held at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.

It bills itself as featuring featuring original and reproduction WWI aircraft, radio-controlled models, era automobiles, period re-enactors and a collector's show.

Almost all of the aircraft attending are replicas with modern engines, and most of them are scaled. WW1 RC model flying is a significant part of the show.

The TVAL shows, plus the bi-annual Classic Fighters etc cater to the WW1 original and full-size replica crowd. With the increasing numbers of Circa, Airdrome, Graham Lee etc scaled replicas on the NZ register has someone ever considered an event catering to these types of planes?

Just wondering...

[Deleted]

I'd love to see it happen, though I doubt any TVAL aircraft would appear. I believe the other full-scale replicas are all at Omaka, and the rest are all scaled and thus with severe range limitations. The full-size replica scene is well and truly dominated by TVAL-owned machines.

[Brett]

What tends to happen in the US is that the scaled aircraft are trailered to the event and re-erected on site. That gets around any range / distance issues, and the pilot doesn't have to worry about load limits for luggage or weather in transit.

Subsequent flights are local, and then they can pack up and head home on time regardless of the weather or servicability. It seems to work well for the distances encountered in the US.

Is there a Radio Controlled Model event for WW1 models only, or is the RC scene too small in NZ to make it worthwhile?

[Dave Homewood]

I was wondering that myself, are there enough WWI r/c modellers to enable such an event?

But I guess since TVAL and the Omaka AHC came along the interest in that era has risen dramatically among the aviation public, and Wingnut Wings seems to have put a load of scale modellers onto that era too, so perhaps the r/c modellers are getting more and more into that era?

I think Old Warden has an annual WWI r/c meet with the full sized aircrfat there too, don't they?

[Dave Homewood]

I meant to add it sounds like a great event Brett. Perhaps they could run it alternate years at Masterton and Omaka?

You don't really see much of the 7/10 scale replicas nowadays now that we have proper WWI types on the circuit. it would be neat to see them all together and the r/c types too. plus the vehicles and the likes.

[johnnyfalcon]

There is a growing number of "Airdrome" types (ex Rangitata) in addition to the homebuilts.