Competitor Information

May 29th - 30th 2027 VMAA State Field Melbourne

Air Racing with drone, helicopter, glider and jet speed comparisons plus old versus new aerobatic routines in between rounds

Racing starts Saturday 12 noon - Sunday 9.00 AM - 2.PM - Finals 3.00 PM  

(Click each photo for a short background video)

Golden Era   

300 kph category for 1920 - 1930s racing aeroplane designs built from a kit or plan. Traditional balsa, ply or fully composite airframes. Fixed pitch propeller,  8 HP 85cc -100 cc two stroke petrol engines

First past the post 4 3 2 1 point scoring system 

(Pic s - from the right)

2007 1st place Argus Aircraft Zlin X111 ZDZ 85 petrol - Adam Argus (Qld)
2009 1st place Harrod Performance Racing Mew Gull - 75 cc methanol - Karl Harrod (Qld)
200 Mudge Design De Havilland DH 88 Comet - OS 160 FX - Richard Mudge (SA)

1997 Adelaide Golden Era Air Race
1st, De Havilland DH 71 Tiger Moth - Precision Eagle 70cc methanol - Ron and Bruce de Chastel, 
2nd, Miles Hawk Speed Six - 60cc Moki twin cyl methanol -Brian Green (Vic)
3rd, Miles Hawk Speed Six - 70cc Stihl methanol - Stephen Green (Vic) 

FORMULA 1  

Class racing balsa - ply - factory built Seagull Models Nemesis and Cassutt airframe, for 6HP 60cc two stroke petrol engines with commercially avaliable propeller

First past the post 4 3 2 1 point scoring system - Five plane final

FORMULA 2

 Nemesis airframe with 4 HP 35cc two stroke stroke petrol engines and commercially avaliable propeller

First past the post 4 3 2 1 point scoring system - Four plane final

AT-6 Texan and Warbird WW11 

This famous single engine advanced military trainer is what American WW11 pilots flew to gain endorsement on a P-51 Mustang, P40 Kittyhawk, Bearcat or Corsair. AT-6 model aircraft are 1/6th scale factory built airframes. 20cc 3.5 HP two stroke methanol engine, retractable undercarriage

Warbird category is 1/5th scale single engine fighter with retractable undercarriage as per Adelaide Reno rules. 6HP 60cc two stroke petrol engines

First past the post 4 3 2 1 point scoring system - Four plane final

(Bottom right - Richard Mudge (SA) P51 scoots past Chris Carpenter's (SA)  P-40 at Adelaide.
Bottom Right -Eight epic ten lap battles between P51, designed built and flown by Riachrd Mudge and Corsair, designed built and raced flown by Michael Lynch (Vic. Apolgies re the Corsair fuselage livery and Mustang wing. Low resolution pic sharpened by Chat GPT changed it.) 

Red Bull

Scale model of any aircraft that competed in a Red Bull Air Race or state, national or international arobatic competetion. Engine capacity 20cc glo and 30cc petrol

First past the post 4 3 2 1 point scoring system - Four plane final

Mission Statement

Promote the benefits of competition flying and operating above minimum standards, in a safe, friendly and practical manner 

It's not just about racing, it's also about having fun. Competition fun. Team spirit, workmanship and airmanship all count. Organise a few mates and throw a team together   

Most Entertaining Flight

Serious or novel - a three minute free for all -  judged by crowd and peer group applause

Building something and seeing your creation fly has become old hat, nevertheless a few of us rusted on Old Fokkers remain interested

Build Project #1 - Mr Smoothie

Scratch built from a three view. Raced at Adelaide and Cobram. 60cc twin cylinder Moki menthanol engine yet to produce its full potential.  Engine
(Demonstration flight if no entries received)

Build Project #2 - Miles Hawk Speed Six

One quarter scale balsa ply and foam Golden Era airframe scratch built off RCM News magazine plans.   Desert Aircraft DA 85cc engine. Shoe horn required to fit radio gear around internal canister muffler. 300 kph project to take on all composite Percival Mew Gulls
(Demonstration flight if no entries received)

Build Project #3 - Lil Misty

35% scale, scratch or kit of any racing aeroplane that competed in Goodyear or Formula One air races maximum engine capacity is 62 cc. Open slather on fuel, prop and exaust

 Lil Misty is based on the Cassutt design with a more efficient longer span double tapered wing. Engine is a 3W 58 cc factory methanol single cylinder. Adelaide Golden Era 1999 and 2001, this engine in Brian Green's Miles Hawk Speed Six took out first place

(Demonstration flight if no entries received)

Build Project 

 Last year I got involved in a mentor program for a 15 year old boy who wanted to build a model plane out of wood. When the family called into my hangar for an initial meeting, the lad's eyes lit up when I suggested what would be an easy and economical build. Project Ugly Stick, has flown and the build was published in MAAA's Wingspan digital magazine. An enjoyable experience I'd recommend highly 

Thought Bubble (2027)

Another long gone competition a few of us Old Fokkers look back at fondly was the VMAA Trophy. Resurrecting that interclub competition in its original form is highly unlikely today. Perhaps there are a few older chaps interested in building an eighty inch version and have a younger person race it, as a club entry. Which is what we did with Formula 2 at 2016 Sandown F1 Air Race

Model has to resemble a Fokker E111, the Eindekker

DL35 cc petrol engine, tail dragger of course, four inch wheels, it must have a cowl and an attempt at the rigging structure on top. Flying wires are not required. You can scratch build from the scaled up Ugly Stik plan below. Office Works will print it both sections for $20. Laser Cut Kits Australia and Hangar One in New Zealand both market an 80 inch Stik as well

NSW 

Air Races are also conducted by the Large Scale Racing Club Australia and NSW Pylon Association 

Categories are F1 - F2 - Texan - Red Bull - 30cc Warbirds 

 INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION CATEGORIES

MAAA membership is your boarding pass to state, national and international FAI competition

F4C Scale - F3A Aerobatics - IMAC Aero - F3D Pylon - F3C Helicopter - F3 J Glider

Where will our pilots, remote pilots, maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers, re-fuellers, loadmasters, despatchers, baggage handlers, flight attendents and rocket scientists come from? 

Inspiring the Next Generation

Not only does the building, assembling and flying of model aircraft make for a most enjoyable and  creative hobby, aeromodelling has launched a multitude of career paths in full size aviation. Today, remote control drones is the fastest growing sector in aviation and offers exciting career opportunities for both young and old

Put your child ahead of the pack.  Check out a Come and Fly Day experience  at a VMAA* club flying field today 

(*Victorian Model Aircraft Association)