Whiznr

THE PARK ZONE "GET REAL" WARBIRD CHALLENGE!!!!!!!

Open only to Park Zone P-51, FW-190, Spitfire and T-28 owners!!

Here is your chance to win something awesome with your modeling talents!! Horizon Hobby has agreed to donate some very cool prizes to this fun and educational contest. This is your chance to win one of three great prizes!!

1st Place: Complete Corsair with additional DX7!!

2nd Place: PNP Corsair with 2 lipos!!

3rd Place: Spektrum 6100 Rx & Park Zone T-Shirt (L)!!!!

4th Place (viewer's choice): An autographed photo and copy of "Bluenoser Tales" book, by Robert "Punchy" Powell of the 352nd FG!!!!! A REAL living Legend!!!

Horizon Hobby is in no way responsible or connected to this contest other than offering the prizes. DO NOT contact Horizon Hobby with questions on the rules and judging. All questions shall be inquired to me.

I recently detailed up two PZ P-51s and had so much fun doing research, and trying to make my plane look as real as possible, that I thought it would be fun to pass "the Challenge" to willing participants. (NO, I am not competing!! I'm the judge).

The OFFICIAL RULES!!

Open only to Park Zone P-51, FW-190, Spitfire and T-28 owners!!

You have to pick a paint scheme of an actual P-51D (WWII or Korea), FW-190, Spitfire, or T-28 (Vietnam era), that was IN THE WAR AND SAW COMBAT. No fictitious paint schemes, as it must be accompanied by a picture of the REAL plane you made your's after, (and not after a fictitious restored warbird either, i.e. "Excalibur", "Crazy Horse").

Your entry, (POST YOUR PICS HERE, along with the words, "This is my entry") must include:
1. Pictures of your plane showing all the detail.
2. Picture of your plane FLYING, (a video or link to your video is permitted).
3. Picture of the REAL plane you made your's to look like, along with info on who flew it and what group, squadron, etc. that it belonged to.
4. Your contact information. If you win, I'm betting you'll want the prize to get to you, so address and e-mail is MOST important!!


Your plane:

1.Has to be the stock Park Zone warbird airframe. Different electronics are fine. Brushless is permitted as well. I'm not concerned with landing gear as I'll be judging it's "flying form", since most of these planes do not come with landing gear. But you can make the gear look real if you would like.

2. Has to be an accurate paint scheme of a warbird that actually served in WWII, Korea or Veitnam and saw combat. It can be from any
group in any theater such as:
* 1 European Theater of Operations
* 2 Mediterranean Theater of Operations
* 3 Pacific Theater of Operations
* 4 China Burma India Theater

3. Detail is the key. Drop tanks, bombs, rockets, detailed cockpit, weathering..... make it look like it just returned from a mission, or is headed out on one. ***SEE "Helpful Suggestions Below!!***

4. (MOST important) IT MUST FLY!!!! Must also be accompanied by photo, (or video) of your PZ plane flying after you've finished it. All entries, (pics and videos or links to videos) can be e-mailed to me via RC Groups or RC Universe.

Helpful suggestions: make this thing look REAL! Like it just came back from a mission, weathering, paint flaking off, oil streaks, etc. But keep in mind: It needs to be fairly stock too. So props and landing gear aren't as important as making it look like one that actually existed. Getting detailed with the cockpit and all is fine, but I'm mainly judging the paint scheme and markings.

Contact ME if you need help researching your choice of P-51, (Mustangs are my specialty, but that does not mean one will win just because of it!). I'm here to help, and have an abundance of resources to find what you're looking for. I WILL NOT do any making of parts or decals to go on your plane. This has to be YOUR work of art!!

Contest starts July 7th 2008. Deadline for entries to be received is 11:59pm August 7th 2008 Eastern Standard Time. Winners will be announced and contacted August 9th 2008.

ADDITIONAL UPDATE:

Someone else asked this question again, so let me set it straight.

This contest is about "accurate PAINT schemes" that represent an ACTUAL warbird that saw combat. If you enter a 190 it should look like a 190 that served in combat. Same with the T-28, P-51, and Spitfire.

Making special flaps, landing gear, pilots, tail hooks, etc. is fine but that's not what we're concerned with here. It's the paint scheme first then all the details. You can have lights, bombs, drop tanks, and some on, but if the paint scheme is not accurate, you may not win. The little details help and can make a difference, but here's what really matters:

Example 1. You decide to make the P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll". You put realistic landing gear with retracts, functioning drop tanks (you can "pickle"), sliding canopy, etc.
The squadron code markings on the LEFT side of the plane read WZ I, on the RIGHT side it's I WZ on the REAL one. I've seen toy versions that put WZ I on both sides. That would not win in this contest. On WWII P-51s in Europe, the double letter portion always goes in front of the star & bar toward the nose. The single letter portion goes aft of the star & bar near the tail.
So for instance, you have an impressive looking model, but you reversed those letters, (like the toy makers always do) you hurt your chances of winning.

Example 2. Same plane above. You make the checkers on the nose too big or too small to where it doesn't match the real one, will hurt your odds. If I count, say 14 checker squares across, on the real one, and your's has only 13, or you go over with 15, that won't work. If you have 14 you're doing it RIGHT, and stand to win.

Example 3. You're going to use the Spitfire. The one you are replicating is also Camouflage. But looking at the REAL one, the country insignia lays half in the brown and half in the O.D. green. On your model the country insignia is on a total brown surface. That can hurt your odds.

Example 4. With the pictures below. Notice how the name "Cripes A' Mighty" is in the blue and the bare metal right at the letter H in Mighty. Notice how the " ' " after the A is right under the 3rd exhaust stack. Now notice the model is the same way. Added detail would be the mirrors on the windscreen. THAT would be a winner!!

A high level of accuracy and attention to detail on the paint scheme will decide the winner.

Hopefully this clears up any confusion, hopefully it didn't just create more.
This is the stuff I'm looking for.

Thank you for your entry and good luck!

Groundrushesup

Nice. Count me in.

Looks like I'll be calling in sick for work for a week or so lol

Jay Hayes

I'm in. FW 190's specialize in shooting down Yanks in mustangs.

Groundrushesup

Ah, the infamous Ploesti. I have learned much from your teachings. Now student challenge master!

lol

Jay Hayes

Hello Groundrushesup, I hope you like the brushless upgrade you are working on.

Whiznr, I have a Q about the contests views on the swastika. This symbol is almost universaly (and rightly so) unwelcome, and most manufacturers want nothing to do with it. Would a planes realism be deminished by its absence or its image be unwelcome by its presence? I can work with the answer either way. Thanks

the belgian

I guess tis kind of entries doesn't count...no inflight shots here...
Just kidding

But this could be usefull for those who look for info on how spits looked.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/squadrons.html

Whiznr

Ploesti,
Since I make the rules, I say "The HECK with political correctness!!" MAKE IT ACCURATE!!!!
Oh yeah, I challenge you to a dogfight!! LOL


Belgian,
I might have to consider that mess of a Spit!!! One heck of a nice auger!!

the belgian

Eh,actualy it's not my spit(luckely).I just "borowed" the righthand pic. at http://www.squadronleader.co.uk/article/show/51 ...

Whiznr

Hey Kids!!
Good question from RC Groups member, (as this contest is running here and at RC Groups) I DID revise the entry rules to state, "POST YOUR PICS HERE, along with the words, "This is my entry".

I will copy and save the pics and post them all together at both sites so everyone can see the competition.

Any questions on that? We cool? Gotz itz?

Alright........ PLAY BALL gentlemen!!!!!!!!! Lets see what ya got!!

Whiznr

Someone at RC Groups asked me to post some pics of my two birds, (not in the contest) to give an example of what we're shooting for here.

So here ya go once again.

teamgs

Excellent idea! I don't know if I have the skills for this contest, but I do know that I don't have the time, with my two little girls. I do look forward to seeing all the entries, though.

Looking for ideas regarding realism? Check out this thread at RCGroups, as it has tons of pics on a Nieuport 11 with working cockpit!

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32650

Regards,

Gary

Groundrushesup

Man, that makes me a.) feel like a rank amateur and b.) want to improve

Truly amazing. Must have cost him a fortune in time and treasure.

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go rip the epoxy and CA and bluecor shavings out of my arm hairs

the belgian

"This is my entry"


Hallo Whiznr!
My first "entry" was only a joke but whit this one i'll take my shot.
Spitfires don't leave much room for creativety in oposit to the P-51
but since we where already working on a repaint of our spit into a real-
life Belgian flewn WWII spit,we speeded up things and
soon you will see the complete result!!!

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Not an entry.


My "Tuskegee" more of a conglomeration of all the "Red Tails" aircraft, instead of just one.
Brushless, 4 blade, air retracts, tail steering, and the pilot "Frankie" was color corrected.

Built it so long ago, I have no idea where the flight vids are.

Whiznr

PLEASE SEE UPDATE IN THE RULES.

Whiznr

Check the prize listing!! BIG AWESOME NEWS for the WINNER!!

How we looking folks? Anybody have progress reports?

Jay Hayes

I have chosen the plane I will be depicting. I have aquired a few wartime photos of the plane including one color image. I have a artists depiction of the markings from above and in profile, but is has descrepancies with the photo. (I always side with the photo). I have the pilot info, planes service info, and paint info. I'm keeping all else under wraps till we are much closer to the deadline.

Jay Hayes

Whiznr, I think I may have a helpful suggestion. First off, the contest idea is great and you have done a excellent job of obtaining prizes and advertising in the forums. Encouraging modelers to personalize their models in a scale and accurate way is good for RC.
I think this contest would benefit from alot of entrees, and would encourage companies like Horizon to participate too. The Belgain did a fine job on his spit, which may or may not place in the top three, and I'm sorry he is withdrawing his entry, and would like him to reconsider.
I applaude your work and results and parkzone is improved with customers as enthusiastic as you. I only want what is best for RC in general and increased participation is my goal. I would tell all entrants: "Thank you for your entry and good luck!"

teamgs

I also think that the Belgian should keep his entry.

Let's say for the sake of argument, that two entries are almost perfect, and are competing for the first and second prizes. What if the remaining entries all have one or more "errors"? Then he would still be in the running for the third prize, wouldn't he?

Can't wait to see more pics of the entries.

Regards,

Gary

Whiznr

Good responses. I agree with revising the wording.

I also think the Belgian should stay in the running. As everything will be based on who's is most accurate, even though his paint scheme is just the stock one from PZ, he does have accurate squadron markings and a photo to back it up. His Spitfire is a very good example of what I'm looking for here as well. I was however, wondering why the top view pic in the left set of photos was black & white. At first it gave me the impression that it was meant to look like a wartime photo though it's clearly a PZ Spitfire setting on the grass. The side view on it's gear is a REAL Spitfire.

We are talking about the "flying" one, not the crashed one!

Whiznr

There is also a possible 4th place prize from Hobbytown USA I'm working on securing as well.

Whiznr

""This could have been my entry"

Hallo Whiznr!
My first "entry" was only a joke but whit this one i'll take my shot.
Spitfires don't leave much room for creativety in oposit to the P-51
but since we where already working on a repaint of our spit into a real-
life Belgian flewn WWII spit,we speeded up things and here's the result!

The plane was flown by a friend of my grandfather(J.Lochs)who flew
a Beaufighter during WWII.

It's a Spitfire Mk2A from the Belgian 350 Squadron code "MN-A"
Serial number P7279 flewn by Sqdrn-Leader Guillaume in 1941.
The location is Valley in Wales(GB) during training in No 11 Group.

The changes we made are listed on the last picture.I only had trouble to
make a clear shot with my camera.Sorry for that(next time the wind
permits i try to do better...).
Since the original parkzone paint scheme is quit good we did not change
that.
But as it seems in the additional rules quote;"But looking at the REAL
one, the country insignia lays half in the brown and half in the O.D. green.
On your model the country insignia is on a total brown surface.".

I added a picture where we went wrong.
(the last one in the row)

So no entry for me"



At the moment YOU'RE IN THE LEAD!! You're the only one to submit an entry so far, and you could win. At least there's going to be 4 prizes, so your odds are great right now.

STAY IN THE GAME FRIEND!!!!

Whiznr

Here's a quick example of an entry. The Belgian had it perfect too!!

Looks like this:

"This Is My Entry":

"Moonbeam McSwine" HO-W, P-51D (serial # 414237), flown by Capt. William Whisner of the 487th FS, 352nd FG. He was the 4th highest scoring ACE of the group with 15.5 of his 19 victories being air-to-air. He was also in the legendary "New Years Day Battle at Y-29" scoring 4 kills with his damaged P-51.

Whiznr

As it stands, the Belgian is in the lead. He's got the serial number, country insignias, exhaust weathering, white spinner, lots of good detail here true to the original. His entry also includes very informative historical data. His score is currently an 8.5 out of 10.

The Belgian currently has set the bar for the competition.

the belgian

As it says below...