55 Plastic Model Conversion Competition

55.1 Scope

Plastic Model Conversion Competition comprises a single event open to model rockets that have been assembled from commercially available plastic model kits of guided missiles, rocket vehicles, space vehicles, or jets whose engines are in or spaced apart to the rear of the fuselage. The model must be one that the manufacturer did not produce as a model to be flown; and it must be modified for safe and stable flight by the contestant. The purpose of this competition is to produce a flying model from a kit originally intended as a static model; that shows maximum craftsmanship in construction, finish, and flight performance. The entry must be representative of the kit chosen, as designed by the manufacturer. It is not the purpose of this competition to allow entries which represent original and/or imaginative designs on the part of the contestant that incidentally are executed using parts from plastic kits as a basis.

 

55.2 Construction

With the exception of modifications necessary to convert the model for flight, the basic structure and configuration of the model must be as designed by the manufacturer of the kit. Details may be constructed from parts obtained from other commercially-available plastic kits, from plastic sheet, tubing, or shapes, and other materials as desired. Parts and assemblies necessary to convert the model for flight may be made of any safe material, and may be obtained from any source.

 

55.3 Construction

For stability purposes, the model may be fitted with transparent plastic fins to make it stable in flight. However, the transparent fins and their attachment shall be judged for craftsmanship along with the model.

 

55.4 Flight

Each entry must make a safe, stable flight. If the entry does not make a safe, stable flight, it shall be disqualified.

 

55.5 Static Points

Static points shall be awarded according to the following schedule:

55.5.1 Craftsmanship: 500 points

Points will be awarded in the following categories:

• Neatness and care in construction: 150 points
• Craftsmanship of details: 100 points
• Degree and quality of finish: 100 points
• General appearance: 150 points

55.5.2 Degree of Difficulty: 300 points

Points shall be awarded according to the difficulty experienced by the modeler in building the model, according to the following schedule:

• Asymmetries inherent in the model: 40 points
• Intricacy of paint pattern: 80 points
• Degree of detailing required: 80 points. This category includes such items as the number of external or visible internal components and details that had to be added or reconstructed individually by the contestant.
• Difficulty of stabilizing model: 50 points
• Difficulty of adapting the model for flight: 50 points

The Judges should consider that entries exhibiting an equal of craftsmanship may have required unequal amounts of time and effort because of the uniqueness of the kit chosen. (To facilitate judging, the contestant should point out difficult assemblies or construction problems in a note to the Judges.)

55.6 Flight Characteristics: 300 points

Flight points shall be awarded according to the following schedule:

55.6.1 Mission: 200 points

Mission points are awarded for appropriate and scale-like operation of the model during flight. Examples of such operations are staging, simulated cloud seeding, operation of electronic payload, and smoke ejection. Any such operation must comply fully with the safety standards set forth in this NAR Sporting Code. If it does not, the entry shall be disqualified. The RSO is the only official who may judge the safety qualities of the operation.

 

55.6.2 General Flight: 100 points

General Flight points are awarded for proper operation of the model during flight, including launch, lack of misfires, stability, recovery, and lack of damage on landing. No consideration should be given to staging or scale-like flight characteristics, as these are covered under Mission points; however, if the general flight performance of the model is adversely affected by the failure of one or more of these aspects, points may be deducted from General Flight.

55.7 Scoring

Plastic Model Conversion Competition shall be scored as follows: the points awarded to the entry in static judging shall be added to the points awarded to the entry in flight. The contestant receiving the highest score is the winner.

 

55.8 Return of Judging Worksheet

At the conclusion of a plastic model craftsmanship event, each entry shall receive a copy of the judging worksheet for his/her entry as a part of the official contest results from the CD.

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