UPDATE 7 Aug 23 – new group event added for Sunday 27th August and date for the Pilots Ball resolved as Sunday 22nd October.
To see what has been changed since you last visited, view the News items in the 2023 Hanky Planky Wacky Races collection.
Overview & Timetable
Ron Gray, Competition Secretary, is organising this and would welcome your thoughts when you see him around; at flying sites; or via email.
This is a season long competition. You can take part any time you are at the flying field and update your score. Arrange events between mates; call on Ron Gray to help; supplement your scorecard.
There are also a number of organised ‘group’ events throughout the summer:
The inaugural event was held at the Family Fun day & BBQ on Sunday 16 April at Knettishall. Photos and reports are available from the main menu, above, or by clicking on the image below:
The next Wacky Races group event was on Sunday 14 May at the 3 in 1 (the triathlon) day at Knettishall. Check out the ‘Events’ tab above, or the news feed linked above or follow the highlighted link.
Two more dates for group events have been announced:
Sunday 27th August, with bbq
Sunday 22nd October (Indian summer then!), with bbq
Details on the Events 2023 page here
Competition – Wacky Races, introduction
The idea is to have a a season long competition that incorporates several different rounds designed to test pilot’s skill but most of all to be fun. To ensure that things are equal (apart from flying skill that is!) the models used for this competition will all be the same design and spec, based on the Hanky Planky design published in the November 2022 edition of the RCM&E. All details of this model and the rules surrounding it can be found on this page.
Rounds of the Wacky Races will be held throughout the year at Knettishall (and at Rougham until 31 May 2023), both during the week and at weekends, starting with the season’s kick off meeting at the Family Fun day & BBQ on Sunday 16 April at Knettishall and ending with the Pilot’s Ball on Sunday 22nd October at Knettishall. Two organised group events are also scheduled for 14th May and Sunday 27th August.
Check out the Events 2023 page, or use the tab above.
As well as the group events, the Wacky Races can be held at any other times (for most challenges even if only 3 people want to take part!). They must, of course, be officiated and initially Ron will be doing this (weekdays / weekends / Knettishall / Rougham) but the plan is that others will assist if needed. Standard club rules of course require a spotter not participating in the event.
The scoring has been designed so that it doesn’t matter how many times you enter as it is only your highest score in each event that matters and will be used for Final Reckoning. Score cards will be provided and the latest scores will be available on a Leader Board published on this site.
And, there will be prizes.
Full competition rules are here
Photo & Reports from the competitions so far, are here
Competition Scorecard is here
Hanky Planky – Build Rules
This design was featured in the November 2022 RCM&E. Useful to have one built and tested by 16 April 2023, but the competition lasts all season.
To level the field, your build must comply with:
- Must be built to the size and shape of the original design
- new rule 22 February 2023 – providing the wing size & planform are retained, any airfoil is acceptable
- Can be built from any material or combination of materials
- Motor must be:
- Overlander Tornado Thumper 2430-1300 (recommended and available from Ron) or 2836-1120 (Kings Lynn Models sell Overlander)
- or, 4 Max PO-2834-1160 or 2834-1680
- or, any other make of motor that matches one of those sizes
- Prop size recommended 8 x 6 to 10 x 6 but can be any size you want
- ESC can be any suitable for motor/battery combination (Overlander 2430-1300 recommended with 20A ESC)
- Battery must be a 3S but capacity is up to you (1300 mAh gives good duration and power for the weight)
The plan and build article in RCM&E are based upon a balsa build, but given current prices and some advantages of foam, Ron opted for that for his test model. If you want to try foam – 6mm Depron or maybe foam board (available from HobbyCraft) – then Ron’s build report and offer of help may come in handy. See below, on this page.