Now that you guys have all returned from Hungary, is there any chance of passing on your experiences to help those of us who may be considering trying for the next one?

I know that you may prefer to keep the information within your own teams (and I fully respect that) but any info you could pass on to us first timers would be greatly appreciated.


Are there particular areas that deserve more attention to be competitive? e.g. Should I concentrate more on scale outline, detailing or documentation to get reasonable static scores, or are they all equally important? Where were most points lost in static?


Another thread was started asking about panel joins (i.e. on removable fins etc). Do these lose points during static? What about whip aerials, both during flight and due to the stub remaining when removed for static?


Finally, can I add my thanks to those who have kept us up to date with the competition and for all the awesome photos that have come out. I have been glued to RCU waiting for all the reports to come out.

WOW, I guess most are not back yet. I was hoping this would be become a HOT thread.

Turbulence

By far, I think that documentation is one of the most important things I saw there that made a difference. Also manuevers...these judges absolutely want to see your aircraft fly at its slowest possible (safe) speed. The best (they are all good) pilots were very smooth on the sticks, there were no abrupt headings changes nor really high G manuevers.

The biggest lesson I learned is that on Nations Night when they start calling for new inductees to the Combat Driking Club....run donot walk to the nearest exit, and if the Chinese bring that rocket fuel in the red and yellow bottle with them, do yourself a favor and just pass out prior to drinking it. I tasted that stuff for two days.....
Tommy

Lessons learned.

Documentation:

There are several things that differs from US scale competitions and the JWM. In the US, 3-view's are the primary source of outline documentation, but at JWM, photos are preferred. SO... if you want to be really competitive, this is what you do: Find a jet that is in existence. You are going to need perfect side, front, top and rear view photos for your documentation. Event though the rules state that an artists rendition is OK, you will score much higher if you have access to shooting these photos of the subject. This is very important. The best scores in static all had perfect photos in their documentation.

Get everything officially stamped. The IJMC loves stamps. Get all your color chips, 3-views and photos stamped with some kind of official stamp.

Include your original published 3-views so the judges can see that you have not altered the 3-view you are presenting. (and have it stamped)

Arrange everything in a neat book, with one page showing the side view photo and the side 3-view and so forth. (Remember to have it stamped)

For highest score in color and markings, if possible, bring samples of the original paint the plane was painted with. If it is a restored jet, this is often possible. With current military jets, make friends with someone at the air force, navy ect. paint shops.

Don't worry too much about scale details like bording ladders, kick-in doors ect. The judges does not have that much time to look at them. One of the highest static scoring jets had no inner speed brake details, no inner wheel well detailing, had live hinged ailerons with open gaps underneat. But, it had great photos that where stamped. So, you gotta know what areas that is most important.

Get a composite jet with lots of panel lines and rivets. The craftsmanship judges does not care if the builder made the details or if it came like that from the factory. They don't know how it was made, so all they are looking for is the most realistic looking surface. (AirWorld and FiberClassic score high in these areas)


Flying:

Slow flying without to much wing wobble is the key. Use gyros on every single surface. Gyros are allowed (and used) everywhere you want to put them. Have them on rudder and ailerons at least. The Futaba two channel gyro is perfect. Learn to fly slow, and make sure to keep your speed fairly constant throughout the flight.

Learn to take off and land right in front of yourself. When you practice, put a mark on the runway right infront of yourself and make this your touch down and rotate point.

Learn to place your maneuvers dead center, with equal distance on each side for entry and exit. (Same as in other scale competitions)

Don't fly too high. Anything over a 60 degree vertical angle from the judges position will result in a zero score for that part of the maneuver.

Remember that aerobatic planes fly aerobatic maneuvers.

Smoke looks good, but it also enhances every mistake you make.

Do not show up with something you finished last minute. have at least 50 flights on your competition plane or don't bother. You are up against pilots who know their planes and practice a lot.

Hi Tommy,

Nice to see you are still with us!

But there was no any danger. You had our Finnish Combat Drinking expert, Lauri, next to you. Just before the start of the combat drinking, he had just emptied a 0.5L bottle of Estonian Vodka by himself, just for taste!! You could have just passed the glass to him in case of emergency!

BR,
Jussi
Team Finland

Hi all

A small contribution from a first timer at the JWM who learn't a lot

1. Know your model get it sorted three flights either on a new model or after a major change is not enough

2. Joints need to be disguised or where the real aircraft has a skin joint or transport joint

3. Outline has higher k factors than say paint etc in the static.

4. read the rules . look on the IJMC web site and the judges notes etc all down loadable

5. Get your ground handling solid ie no wheel binding, expo on steering, no snaking on taxi and brakes that work straight smoothly with no pulling.

6. Not sure I agree with comments about slowest flight possible, it needs to be scale and realistic. to slow too much chance of wobble

7. Many seem to have gyros on rudder , nose wheel steering and ailerons

8. expo on most controls

9. Practice practice and practice, get someone who is a good coach, not necessarily pure F3a but understands F3a and the application to jets

10 pick the correct model and colour

all the above I could have done better

hope this helps Ian Russell, proud to have been a small part of the England team

Yes Lauri guided me thru the endeavor. We managed tokeep each other calm under fire. He was giving me some tips. He and I both are now "proud" member of the WJM Combat Drinking Club, I need to make sure I get that on my resume'...LOL.

John is right on everything he said. We learned alot from our experiences there. It is really important to find that aircraft you want to emulate and start from there. Document everthing.

Let me rephrase the comment "slowest as possible". I should have said that the judges really like to see slow flight with good throttle management. Don't get in the air and never touch the throttle till time to land. I think like the other have said, it requires a lot of practice.Tommy

Hi again

John must have been typing the same time as me. As you can see we agree on most points I also agree with John on the point he made that I did not.

On the ready molded scale detail, I think I heard the IJMC are going review this to reward those who add scale detail. It is going to be difficult to verify though.

Any other questions please ask

Ian Russell

I have a small question: do the judges, in the static evaluation, make a difference, if a plane is for open class or Individual class??

checking the static results, it seems that in the open class, the planes get less points...(or are not so good??)

John

As well as being an expert photographer you have provided excellent advice for all would-be JWM entrants (Especially rookies!). Now about all those stamps, surely an expert photographer...............

John

Hi Alessio

In Open and team the judging is the same, so any difference is in the quality of build and documentation. So perhaps it is rarer to find a combined excellent builder and flyer!!

Ian Russell

What constitutes an 'Open Class' model and what constitutes an 'Individual' entry?

For instance, with the newer ARTF models I can buy them painted with scale gear etc. I believe that this would still be eligible for 'Individual' status. If I buy the same model and have it painted commercially would it be 'Open' class? If I buy aftermarket 'scale' undercarriage it would still be 'Individual' but if they are made specifically for my model then I am not sure where I would stand.

What are the accepted rules regarding the classes? The IJMC rules are not too clear. Does it matter? Are there any differences between the classes?

John, what you recomend is exactly what i did not doo!!

I had 3 mins on my panther (without paint and detail) with an AMT engine before i got to Hungery

it was painted a couple of days before the comp and the engine changed to a Jet Cat 160 (never run until my first practice flight!)

I fitted 1 Gyro whilst in Hungery but only on the Ailerons (would have done better with one on the rudder but not totaly needed)

i was 44th in static will a lott to make up in the flying. (i only new i was flying there 1 month before as i was a stand in for someone who dropped out)

in hindsight i think that i will make maximum effort to build an accurate scale model (outline) and learn how to speake German, and move to Germany and get a German Passport


Dave Stephens

You may be on to something there.....
Tommy

Traitor!!!

Auchtung nine nine nine !!!

I Think the best way is:
Go to Czech republic and get yourself a used L-39..in the same time get you a l-39 model, in the same time you paint both with the same colours and also paint some sampes for the doc... Preferred colours or model schemes: all white or only one color..

After get John and his Photo machine and get some serious photo of the real one...[8D]

Just a question here - Was there time to fly more than 1 flight/round per day? Or is that not at all feasible?

Dave,
There were 90 pilots to start with. Each flies their turn for the judges, usually figure 12 minutes (2 to start 10 for the round). It was almost impossible to get more than 1 flight per day, until the field started clearing out.
Tommy

The rounds started at 730 am but really did not get going until about 750. They broke for lunch at 12 for 1 hour and then went back at it again till about 7 pm, weather permitting.
There were 7 judges, 2 would cycle thru every hour so there was always 5 on the line.

Shulman,

Im working on a new 5 axis gyro system, do you think you could do some flight testing and evaluation for me?? Gyro 4 is on the throttle, this will stop the plane from accelerating to fast. Gyro 5 is on the hyperflux capacitor, basically prevents the plane from contacting the ground, and time travel.

Dustin,

We'll have to work on that one, maybe we'll try in the Shock Flyer's first?

We both need that 5 axis gyro system when we go fly our helicopters! Between the both of us, and 2 heli's, we typically average 1 complete flight if you add both of our crashes (I mean flights) together, right????

Guess its time to set aside some time to sport fly once you get your ***** down here!!!

Should I look at building a plane for the next WJM? I have 2 years right? Hmmmm....

Dave,

If you wish to build a plane for the next masters, Ill be happy to give you a few lessons when I get down there. We will start with glueing two popsickle sticks together using white glue. The next lesson we will try 30 min epoxy!

I just ordered the muffler and landing gear for my raptor 90 conversion, I can't wait to smash that!!! You can always tell when Iam getting back into helis because HeliProz runs low on Raptor parts.

As far as us being able to complete 1 full heli flight, mine was at least level and about 1 ft off the ground when it did the "funky chicken dance"

I need to get a new sport plane when I move, what do you think I should get?? I was thinking a slow stick from GWS or similar.

I have started packing today!!!

Later

I don't think a Slow Stick can really be considered a sport plane. Unless you put a HUGE Axi on it or something.

Just remember to reinforce the wings this time.

I don't beleive Dustin will have any problems with the suped up electric. One particular funny thing that happened was on one of the practice days. Dustin was flying and was having way too much fun doing it. He went up and put the the F-86 in a spin. The spectators gasped and I heard someone say "Oh gosh, he's lost it now!!!". Dustin goes on to finish the practice session with a big smile on his face. No doubt he gained a lot of respect from the people around him. It was nice to see someone actually having fun doing this. Hats off Dustin, you are a heck of stick. and it was fun hanging out with you. Look forward to doing it again in a couple of years.
Tommy