Chris Barlow takes the ‘Model of the Event’ Award at our Sabre Mass Build!

Our much deferred 2020 Sabre Mass Build Event has run successfully this weekend on The Great Orme – despite the lack of wind(!) – with a superb collection of new hand-crafted models all gathered together for the first time at the slope.

The event saw a total of 18 model Sabres on site, a few of them flown and tested prior to the competition, and once again the project attracted a number of first time builders and model flyers new to PSS who will hopefully return as members of the PSSA at future meets!

Every airframe was judged on the Saturday for quality of build and scale realism with a keen focus on finish, accuracy and any additonal features or variation beyond the stock plan build.  The judges enjoyed exploring the range of operational features seen including sliding canopies with full depth cockpits, working airbrakes and arrestor hooks (there were two Navy Fury variants), releasable wing stores, working strobe lights etc – some fantastic modelling and ingenuity on show!

 

The winners in our 3 competition categories were;

BEST PSSA NEWCOMER – James Archer – Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk5 Boeing Chase Plane

MOST INNOVATIVE BUILD – Grange Lawrenson – NA FJ-4 Fury conversion

MODEL OF THE EVENT – Chris Barlow (pictured) Canadair F-86 Sabre F4 – RAF Bruggen

 

Our winners received some superb Sabre trophies and a range of prizes from RCM&E, SLEC, Permagrit and Steve Webbs Models all kindly presented by retired USAF pilot Major Art Havko.

Many thanks to all who took part and travelled against a forecast clearly unsuited to flying (on the Saturday at least) – and huge congratulations once again to all our winners!  A full event report will be written both for our website and RCM&E magazine in the near future and I think its clear we will be seeing the shape of the F-86 Sabre on our slopes for many seasons to come!