So here it is folks - the results of Phase 1!
I know you're going to want to scroll down and look for where your favorite design is ranked, but hold with me for a moment while I explain the process and output here.
Let's revist the objectives of this community challenge.
Objectives:
- Celebrate the obscure, unusual concepts and advances of WWII aviation - Heck yea we did this!
- Foster interest in building foam board model aircraft from community plans - over 300 posts in the main thread alone - I think we knocked this out of the park!
- Promote designing and building as one of the aspects of the FT community - again, 300 posts! And in-person events at each Flite Fest coming up!
- Compete in flying events where any level of experience can be a winner - Coming soon to a Flite Fest near you!
- Engage in some friendly forum banter - Definitely!
So as a community, I say you've done incredibly well! We had 44 entries start the journey with us, and 19 of those have 'proof of flight' videos and received scoring attention. That's 19 new planes - of various flight qualities to be sure - but 19 new planes released in just 6 months! Pretty amazing!
So in this spirit of the challenge, I refuse to rank these 19 awesome entries from 1st place through to number 19. It's just not what this is all about. Yes, there is a scoring rubric that was published - and yes it was used by me and a team of judges (and a HUUUGGE thank you to my judges for helping out!! Feel free to out yourselves in the thread if you like.). But honestly folks, there is no way I'm going to tell any one of you great builders and designers who took on a new challenge, and some really tough challenges, that your design sucks - cause it's just not true. And that's not what we are here to do - reference objectives above if you have any doubts.
So with that preamble behind us, let's get to the result categories.
- First, there is a clear winner to this challenge - scoring far ahead of all other entries.
- Second, there are a group of awesome planes that scored over 130 on the rubric.
- Third, there are a group of great planes that didn't get over 130, but we still love.
- And then there are a set of entries that flew, but who didn't release plans to the community yet, and thus scored in the lowest grouping.
And in traditional awards show fashion (and like Casey Kasem taught us), we're going to count 'em down to #1.
So first up, here is Category 4; the entries we loved, but who didn't release plans to the community yet. Posted in order of their challenge entry date.
Waffleman's Grumman XP-50 Skyrocket
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?36064-Mini-XP50-for-FTCC-World-War-Two-Challenge!
Come back and release plans for this!! You did a great job replicating the curves in what looks like a very simple to cut and assemble design. I love the way it looks, and it obviously performs great - so we all want to be able to build one!
Grifflyer & JimCR120's Grumman XF5F-1
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthre...an-XF5F-1-Skyrocket-by-Grifflyer-and-JimCR120
Another great looking build that deserves to have plans released! Love how you captured the feel of the plane, and the easy access to batteries in the nacelles and central layout of radio gear makes it a nice plane to service at the field. So great job Grifflyer - and get in there and help him out Jim! Can't leave a boy hanging like that!
TaleSpin's Convair XB-53 (formerly XA-44)
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?36281-FTFC-18-WWII-Corvair-XB-53-designed-by-TaleSpin
This was a very cool subject. The forward wing sweep is a real eye-catcher. The shaping of the fuselage, and the skill used to attain it were quite impressive. It would be nice to see some plans, as we are sure that there are some wannabe builders that would love to tackle your design!
Namactual's FH-1 Phantom
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthre...I-FH-1-Phantom-designed-by-Namactual&p=361216
We just knew this would fly and you didn't disappoint! It looked pretty good as is, but also looked as though there was a little more performance asking to be eaked out! Solid construction and we liked that you went with the more symetrical airfoil. Not many do that, and it's a nice touch for the models intended for more advanced pilots. Please make some plans Dude! This is a jet that many could like.
FoamyDM's LPL Ushakov "Flying Submarine"
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?36977-FTFC-18-WWII-Ushakov-LPL-Flying-Submarine-by-FoamyDM
This build thread and project is legendary! A very ambitious design, and to take on the flying and submersible aspects of the design too - just awesome! The scale look of the plane is beautiful, and we really really want you to release some alpha or beta plans! The history references here are fascinating, as is the knowledge bridge to model submarining (I had no idea this was such a cool thing). There are some aerodynamic challenges still to work out and we all want to see this succeed in the air and the water - and we know you'll get there too! We really want to check this out at a Flite Fest this year!
320dude's North American F-82 Twin Mustang
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?37746-FTFC-18-WWII-F-82-Twin-Mustang-designed-by-320dude
Love the approach of extending a proven design for this! And the final result performs very well. Looks like a very stable flyer, and a great design for flyers who want something unusual at the field!
J-MaxRC's Borovkov-Florov-D
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthre...rov-D-designed-by-J-MaxRC&p=380968#post380968
The contest went on so long without hearing from you, I was afraid we lost you man! But you kicked out an amazing entry at the last minute (to us at least)! This plane flies so much awesome I can't even English! Excellent video documentation of the project, it's history, where you're going next, and some truly excellent flight characteristics - and a great landing too! And it's got some amazing glide too - you really have a good airfoil design based on the length of those glide tests. I'd say your first version here is a total success - now it's time to get version two rolling and share some plans with the rest of us so we can build along too! And from seeing how well your gear was designed & built on the big bomber you brought to FliteFest last year, I'm fully confident you'll figure out the retract geometry on this model
Anyone notice anything odd about this list? Like how they are all entries from the Allies team? Wonder what's up with that...
And
builders - if you haven't completed your design or flight video or plans release yet, please keep going!! All entries started in Phase 1 can be included in the Phase 2 events, even if the plans/video/etc weren't completed in time for Phase 1 scoring. We all want to see these crazy planes in the air, and to celebrate everyone having success designing and building their own DTFB planes from scratch.
And if you want to join in this crazy fun but didn't start a design before 12/31/2017, that's perfectly OK too - pick any one of the 44 entries that were started, build away, and join us at a Flite Fest this year for Phase 2! You can use already posted plans, or do your own version of one of the 44 entries and release your own plans for it! So come on in - we want you in this too!
Hmm.... you've probably noticed by now I didn't post the other categories of winners.
Yeah, I need to go play board games with the family for a while... so I'll write the next part soon.