After a twelve-year absence from competitive play, the venerable GMT Down in Flames series returned to WBC under the rubric of new volume Wild Blue Yonder with eighteen participants. In each of the first three rounds, players contested two identical dogfights, switching sides against the same opponent. This format yielded more variable results and only one tie in 26 matchups (three players dropped out after two rounds, with GM Chris Janiec filling in as an opponent in the third round). When the last plane landed, only three players were undefeated, and of four others who were 2-1, two abandoned the tournament due to a scheduling conflict. With the 1-0 GM ineligible and one player at 1-1-1, two players made it into the Quarterfinals with a 1-2 record.
In the single elimination rounds the format remained the same, with each pairing playing two identical dogfights, switching sides as usual. The quarterfinals were seeded on the basis of record and cumulative score. Top seed Jay Matthews exited early when he lost to Ralph Gleaton 12-9. The next three seeds all advanced, with Dave Stiffler edging Joe Chacon also by 12-9, Edward Povilaitis winning the 9-9 tie-breaker over Pat Murphy, and Roger Taylor (the only past champion to make the Quarters) defeating former GM Chris LeFevre 19-4. The matchup of Italian Macchi 202s vs. Hurricanes Mk I and IIb proved to be the closest of the tournament, with the RAF edging out the Italians 45-38.
Bracketing matched the two remaining undefeated contestants, Taylor and Stiffler, against each other in the Semifinals. Taylor’s Bf109F-4/Bf110E-2 Elements prevailed 12-7 in the first dogfight, and he played CLOUDS on the last turn of the second and survived the Disengagement draws to advance despite losing that fight 7-9 with his Hurricane IIc/Kittyhawk Ia pairs. In the other Semi, Povilaitis’s Luftwaffe fighters edged out a 10-7 win over Gleaton’s Commonwealth elements, then fought to a 0-0 draw in the second dogfight to advance.
The Finals thus pitted undefeated Roger Taylor against novice Edward Povilaitis. In the first dogfight, Taylor’s Bf109G elements gained the upper hand on Turn 1 by downing the Yak-9 Wingman with the Engine Hit-Ace Pilot combo. His Messerschmitts never relented, and faced only one opponent by the end for a 15-7 lead. Povilaitis fought back for a 10-7 advantage in the return match, but that wasn’t enough as, 15 years after winning his first, Roger Taylor won a second WBC Championship by a combined score of 22-17.
Special thanks are owed to Andy Lewis and GMT for sponsoring the event, to dedicated Assistant GM Chris LeFevre for his support during the contest, and to Jack Beckman for helping get everything organized and running at the start of the tournament.
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John Emery takes to the skies. |
Pilots of different generations. |
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Jay Matthews on way to earning his laurels. |
Ralph Gleaton joins in on Mafia laurels. |
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A Hard fought dogfight. |
Wild Blue Yonder Finalists. |
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Chris Janiec [1st Year] |
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