TOP GUN 2015
by Bob Violett

    The enthusiasm for this F.T.E. organized and promoted event seems to be endless.  Even after 26 years of this most challenging event that includes replica models from WWI, WWII, and Jets, serious modelers prepare for and enjoy this high level of competition and camaraderie with fellow scale enthusiasts.  The weather this year was almost perfect with just enough crosswind to help the judges award the best pilots, but not enough to damage the models.  The Top Gun jet pilots overwhelmingly chose products sold and serviced by BVM.  BVM MiG-15's, Sabres, F-100's, F-80, BVM PNP F-16's, and Cougars, Skymaster (with BVM Success Packs) Cougars, F-104's, F-16, and the Hawk.

   The photo gallery below will depict the products and pilots and how they placed.  BVM adds value to every product we sell and these Top Gun results continues this tradition. The BVM slogan "Engineered For Success" is more than just a few words. Check scores and placing at end of photo gallery.

  Our sincere thanks to Frank Tiano and his Top Gun staff and extremely capable and fair judges.  A special congratulations to Jack Diaz who won the coveted "Mr. Top Gun" award.


Photo Gallery
click on images to enlarge

BV and Gabriel Pellegrini from Brazil. The BVM F-100 and Gabriel reflect a sincere effort.
   
Jason Bauer did well with a KingTech 140 powered BVM F-16. This Texas ANG scheme is very attractive in flight.
   
Michael Grady from Grand Rapids Michigan is the builder half of this 3rd place Team Scale entry.
Dustin flew the all electric BVM MiG-15.
   
Rod Snyder and Chad Miller took the highest honors in the "Unlimited" event with this early
BVM MiG-15 with KingTech 100.
   
Tim Len is ready to taxi his brand new BVM PNP Cougar. As you can see from scores posted below, Cougars did well. Jason Bauer was his caller.
   


Boli Muentes sent us this "Sun Set" photo of his BVM PNP F-16 in "ThunderBird" livery.  It flies as good as it looks.
   

Horizon's Peter Goldsmith makes this Skymaster F-104 look easy to handle. It is now in its 2nd year of competition.

   

It is hard to find a more enthusiastic jet guy than Greg Arnette.  This BVM PNP F-16 is one of the very first samples and now has 405 flights on it. Greg contributed to the BVM halftime show flying his BVM Cougar.
   

3rd place for the third consecutive year was awarded to B.V.'s all electric F-80 Shooting Star. An EVF ~3~ 12S 9er provides the push, a Spektrum 18X the guidance.  Kirby Smith assisted with "caller" duties - a very important part of the Top Gun effort.
   

 Jack Diaz's BVM 80" Sabre has competed in multiple Top Gun's. It is a classic and flown by an expert.
   
  Andy Andrews also chose a BVM 80" Sabre for his Top Gun "Sportsman" class effort, assisting is Jim McEwan.
   
   

 Master's winner again was David Ribbe with his one of a kind 90" MiG-15. MiG's of all sizes are great competition airframes. Stay Tuned!
   
Bill Freeland enjoyed his first shot at competition flying with this BVM F-16. His flight scores improved with each succeeding round.
   
  Lot's of Cougars! This one is a Skymaster version that Geraldo Diaz flew to first place in the Pro-Jet category.
   
  R.J. Gonzales added this artful paint work to his BVM MiG-15 ARF. It is powered with an EVF ~3~ 12S 9er and placed 4th in the Sportsman Class.
   
  Bonnie and Brian O'Meara from Northglenn, Colorado flew this Skymaster Cougar at Top Gun 2015. Photo of course, was taken out west.
   
  Gabriel Pellegrini forwarded some great David Hart photos of his BVM F-100 effort at "Top Gun" 2015.  
   
   
   
   

More photos and stories as we receive them.

If you and your model are missing from the gallery, please send us a photo and a few words.
   
 
Pro Jet Class              
Rank Number Contestant Model Static Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Final
1 PJ04 Diaz, Gerardo Cougar 25.000 94.875 95.125 95.875 97.375 121.125
2 PJ06 Goldsmith, Peter Cougar 25.000 93.375 94.375 97.000 96.625 121.000
4 PJ3 Diaz, Jack F-86 Sabre 25.000 95.125 92.875 95.875 96.750 120.917
5 PJ11 Violett, Bob Cougar 25.000 94.875 94.250 95.875 96.125 120.625
6 PJ05 Dimauro, Franco F-16 25.000 88.375 93.500 95.000 97.250 120.250
7 PJ09 O'Meara, Brian Cougar 25.000 92.250 90.125 94.625 96.125 119.333
                   
Am Jet              
Rank Number Contestant Model Static Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Final
3 S06 Bauer, Jason F-16C 25.000 92.375 94.000 92.875 95.250 119.042
4 S16 Gonzalez, RJ MiG 15 25.000 93.125 89.875 93.375 95.500 119.000
6 S02 Andrews, Andy F-86 Sabre 25.000 91.125 91.875 93.125 96.000 118.667
8 S31 Muentes, Boli F-16 25.000 91.875 0.000 93.375 94.750 118.333
13 S04 Arnette, Greg F-16C 25.000 86.250 90.625 92.250 94.750 117.542
14 S25 Len, Tim Cougar 25.000 84.750 89.875 93.125 93.875 117.292
18 S14 Freeland, Bill F-16C 25.000 87.750 84.875 91.000 95.500 116.417
19 S21 Hou, Barry F-16 25.000 89.625 82.625 89.875 94.500 116.333
24 S23 Pellegrini, Gabriel F-100 25.000 84.625 90.375 88.250 92.250 115.292
                   
Expert Class              
Rank Number Contestant Model Static Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Final
2 E10 Goldsmith, Peter F-104 98.000 96.250 96.750 98.125 97.250 195.375
                   
Unlimited Class              
Rank Number Contestant Model Static Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Final
1 U07 Snyder, Team & Snyder, Rod MiG 15 93.750 94.250 93.000 95.875 95.250 188.875
                   
Masters Scale              
Rank Number Contestant Model Static Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Final
1 M06 Ribbe, Dave MiG-15 96.667 96.625 96.125 95.125 97.375 193.375
3 M07 Violett, Bob F-80 93.667 95.625 95.375 95.375 97.750 189.917
                   
Team Scale              
Rank Number Contestant Model Static Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Final
3 T04 Grady, Mike & Buescher, Dustin MiG-15 94.583 93.500 65.375 94.000 96.125 189.125
                   
 
 

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