August 2003 143
IN 2003 YOU will see more speed-limit competitions than ever
before. The cash-money format for these contests will be in use
more and more. The fliers in Central California in the Morgan
Hill area advertised a contest in late April that offered a $1,000
first-place prize. I suspect that it will draw quite a few pilots. I
also saw on the Combat Web site that there would be a money
contest in the northeast part of the country.
I hope that all of the cash prizes do not ruin the
sportsmanship aspect of these speed-limit contests. It never
ceases to amaze me to see the killer instincts come out of usually
calm modelers when there is money on the line.
The whole point of the 75 mph and 80 mph events was to
bring new blood into Combat. Both speeds afford new and
veteran pilots time to think and react in a deliberate manner
instead of maneuvering at random in the hopes of cutting a
streamer.
One issue that has been widely discussed is the use of shutoff
devices in the speed-limit events. By rule it is a requirement in
80 mph, but not in 75 mph. Modelers are a resourceful bunch of
people who are capable of fantastic inventions when presented
with a task. I hope to see voluntary use by anyone who flies
Combat.
I have been watching the Speed Channel quite a bit of late
because I love all types of racing, be it auto or motorcycle. I did
a bit of motorcycle road racing in the early 1970s when I could
still fit on a 250cc Grand Prix Yamaha. I like some of the
historical films of Formula 1 or AMA (American Motorcycle
Association) Grand National events.
When you pay close attention to the equipment that was used
back then, you can see tremendous advancements in the safety
and reliability of the cars, the motorcycles, and the courses. The
size of a tire on a current Superbike resembles that of an early
Formula 1 car. The brakes are light-years ahead of the old drum
brakes I had to contend with on my production 350cc Kawasaki.
These brakes would fade so badly after a spirited ride that the
brake lever would go all the way to the grip, and the machine
would not stop.
When we know there is a better and safer way of doing
things, it’s lunacy to go back to inferior methods. It is so
unfortunate that it takes a tragedy of a well-known personality to
mandate safety changes. I am referring to the death of
NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the now mandated use of
head-restraining devices. There are few accidents in modelaircraft
Combat, but the potential is real. It is because I love the
event that I advocate the use of shutoff devices in all of the
events.
Depending on when you get your copy of Model Aviation, the
Fédération Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Combat Team
Trials will have taken place or will be happening in a day or two.
The Muncie, Indiana, venue is sure to draw a large number of
pilots from across the country who will vie for the three US
spots plus the one Junior position.
There will not be much difference in equipment from one
pilot to the next. The models will be mostly store-bought
Ukrainian or Czech-built units that will vary only in how much
trimming was done to them after the pilot got them.
Those models come close to being competition-ready, but
they do require some tweaking. Mike Willcox will be able to sit
back and watch or pit knowing that he is the World Champion
and will automatically get to defend his title in 2004. This July 4
CONTROL LINE COMBAT
Rich von Lopez, 8334 Colegio Dr., Los Angeles CA 90045
The mean-looking Fora .049 is sporting a green propeller.
This Stels .36 has all of the tricks the author can find.
The author likes these 1⁄2A-size Belaiev and Wakkerman models.
08sig5.QXD 5.23.03 12:39 pm Page 143
weekend in Muncie will be full of action.
I purchased a box full of George
Cleveland’s Louisiana Barracudas for Fast
and 80 mph Combat. They are built
remarkably well and fly very well. However,
you will need to find out where these models
balance with your particular engine so that
the boom can be cut to the proper length.
Some pilots like Henry Nelson’s backplate
mount; others prefer two individual metal
mounts. They will cost you roughly $55
including shipping, depending on how many
you buy.
144 MODEL AVIATION
Just call and ask for cowlings,
wheelpants or floats from
Carl Goldberg Models,
Midwest Products, Global Hobbies,
Great Planes Manufacturing,
Pica Products and many more.
Most cowlings are seamless.
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection of
one piece, epoxy resin cowlings
and wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758
Call for Price List - or visit us at
www.stansfibertech.com
SIMPLEST GLOW DRIVER YET
■ Fully Automatic
■ No set-up, not even servo reversal
■ Progressive heating
■ Full off at 1/4 throttle
■ Turn off with engine kill
■ COMPLETE with plug connector
and 1900 mAhr battery
$39.95 s/h included Specify connector
C-TRONICS,Inc. P.O. Box 192, Ramsey, NJ 07446 201 818-4289 www.c-tronicsinc.com
Simple,Safe,Secure.
FLIGHT ALARM
■ Downed aircraft locator
■ 95 db @ 3 feet
■ Battery monitor, early low voltage
warning, even while flying
■ Automatic selection of 4.8 or 6.0
volt operation
$29.95 s/h included
Specify AM/FM or PCM and connector
FLIGHT FUELER
■ Know when your tank is full
■ No more “fueling the ground”
■ No hose disconnects
■ Great for cowled engines
$19.95 s/h included Specify connector
I truly love the way my own-design Fast
models fly, but they are labor intensive. A
combination of ready-built models with a
few of my own will keep me going to
contests on short notice. These models stay
out on the lines, turn tight, and are easy to
fly. George also has a boom version of an
Andre Belaiev design for Fast and 80 mph
that also works well.
I have a batch of Stels .36 engines that are
approximately an ounce lighter than the
Nelsons. The Stels is a good engine for the
Belaiev design. This combination handles
like an FAI-size model because it is nimble
and quick. The Stels does not make the
power of a Nelson, but it is not in the dog
category either. I have not tried George’s
Wakkerman Fast-design models, but he and
his son Mitchell use them and are happy with
them.
Although I like to experiment with a
variety of models and designs, one design
with the same flying characteristics is hard to
beat when it is time to compete. You can
reach George Cleveland at GRS Models, 36
Antigua Dr., Kenner LA 70065, or visit his
Web site at
http://pages.prodigy.net/gcleveland_grsmode
ls/. The telephone number is (504) 443-4640.
I have been doing quite a bit of test flying
with my new Fora .049 and have learned that
it needles well and starts easily. It is also fast
on 35- and 42-foot lines. The only thing you
have to do is make certain that the glow-plug
SP400
Bugatti Swordfish
P-36 Mig 3
XP-55 P-40
DH2
Gus Morfis 1/12
Mosquito Hurricane
Typhoon P-47
P-40 Corsair
Turnkey R/C Designs
Fi-256 . . . . . . . 72”
Stahlwerk . . . . . 52”
Loening . . . . . . 36”
D.A.D.
Jack Lewis 1/12
P-40 P-39
P-51 AD2
Spitfire Hurricane
Free
Catalog
08sig5.QXD 5.23.03 12:39 pm Page 144
clip touches the cylinder head—not the
crankcase. The crankcase is anodized black
and does not conduct electrical current. This
is a small price to pay for having a meanlooking
1⁄2A engine.
There are so many propellers to choose
from that it is hard to know which one works
best. Engines and propellers can be
purchased from GRS Models. The propellers
come in green, red, blue, and purple; I like to
start out with the green ones.
You may want to order two of each color
to start with, then after the engine is well
broken in you can determine which propeller
works best with the fuel you want to run. At
that point you can order enough propellers to
get you through the season.
In the last column I included a photograph
of several 1⁄2A models you can purchase from
GRS Models. I have flown all of them and
found that they work well. It will depend on
what sort of tail configuration you want to
use. I suggest that you purchase one of
several types of designs, then trim and test
them until you can settle on one you like.
Then again, you can always build your own
design.
Attention to detail will give you some added
luck. I like to closely inspect all of my
models before they get packed into the car
before a contest. I look for small rips in the
covering or loose edges that could tear away
in flight. Many times I have seen someone
out for a quick test flight, only to have the
model shred a big piece of covering.
Sometimes the pilot is lucky and the model
stays in the air, and other times the model
finds the ground.
I know I have mentioned the pushrod
attachment pieces that come with the readymade
models and how I have experienced
them splitting. It is an awful feeling to give a
model up or down control and it not respond,
and you try again with no response. If you
are lucky, the model will be reparable—if
not, you will make a donation to the trash
can.
It is also amazing how much brighter a
glow plug will light after you change the
battery leads. I like to use the clear lamp-cord
wire that you can buy at any hardware store
for 15- or 20¢ cents a foot. You can actually
see the copper wires turn green when they get
old. For less than $1, you can get better starts
from the same old battery.
Pay close attention to metal engine
mounts. They have been known to crack
from time to time. It’s better to catch a weak
mount on the ground than to have the engine
come off in the air. I also filter fuel going
into the bottle, coming out of the bottle, and
on its way to the needle valve. You may say
it’s overkill, but seldom do I have dirt in the
fuel system.
You can take all of this care in handling
your fuel, then throw your syringes on the
ground when you have finished fueling.
Take a close look at the syringe tip after you
throw it on the ground; you might find some
dirt. M
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 143,144,145
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 143,144,145
August 2003 143
IN 2003 YOU will see more speed-limit competitions than ever
before. The cash-money format for these contests will be in use
more and more. The fliers in Central California in the Morgan
Hill area advertised a contest in late April that offered a $1,000
first-place prize. I suspect that it will draw quite a few pilots. I
also saw on the Combat Web site that there would be a money
contest in the northeast part of the country.
I hope that all of the cash prizes do not ruin the
sportsmanship aspect of these speed-limit contests. It never
ceases to amaze me to see the killer instincts come out of usually
calm modelers when there is money on the line.
The whole point of the 75 mph and 80 mph events was to
bring new blood into Combat. Both speeds afford new and
veteran pilots time to think and react in a deliberate manner
instead of maneuvering at random in the hopes of cutting a
streamer.
One issue that has been widely discussed is the use of shutoff
devices in the speed-limit events. By rule it is a requirement in
80 mph, but not in 75 mph. Modelers are a resourceful bunch of
people who are capable of fantastic inventions when presented
with a task. I hope to see voluntary use by anyone who flies
Combat.
I have been watching the Speed Channel quite a bit of late
because I love all types of racing, be it auto or motorcycle. I did
a bit of motorcycle road racing in the early 1970s when I could
still fit on a 250cc Grand Prix Yamaha. I like some of the
historical films of Formula 1 or AMA (American Motorcycle
Association) Grand National events.
When you pay close attention to the equipment that was used
back then, you can see tremendous advancements in the safety
and reliability of the cars, the motorcycles, and the courses. The
size of a tire on a current Superbike resembles that of an early
Formula 1 car. The brakes are light-years ahead of the old drum
brakes I had to contend with on my production 350cc Kawasaki.
These brakes would fade so badly after a spirited ride that the
brake lever would go all the way to the grip, and the machine
would not stop.
When we know there is a better and safer way of doing
things, it’s lunacy to go back to inferior methods. It is so
unfortunate that it takes a tragedy of a well-known personality to
mandate safety changes. I am referring to the death of
NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the now mandated use of
head-restraining devices. There are few accidents in modelaircraft
Combat, but the potential is real. It is because I love the
event that I advocate the use of shutoff devices in all of the
events.
Depending on when you get your copy of Model Aviation, the
Fédération Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Combat Team
Trials will have taken place or will be happening in a day or two.
The Muncie, Indiana, venue is sure to draw a large number of
pilots from across the country who will vie for the three US
spots plus the one Junior position.
There will not be much difference in equipment from one
pilot to the next. The models will be mostly store-bought
Ukrainian or Czech-built units that will vary only in how much
trimming was done to them after the pilot got them.
Those models come close to being competition-ready, but
they do require some tweaking. Mike Willcox will be able to sit
back and watch or pit knowing that he is the World Champion
and will automatically get to defend his title in 2004. This July 4
CONTROL LINE COMBAT
Rich von Lopez, 8334 Colegio Dr., Los Angeles CA 90045
The mean-looking Fora .049 is sporting a green propeller.
This Stels .36 has all of the tricks the author can find.
The author likes these 1⁄2A-size Belaiev and Wakkerman models.
08sig5.QXD 5.23.03 12:39 pm Page 143
weekend in Muncie will be full of action.
I purchased a box full of George
Cleveland’s Louisiana Barracudas for Fast
and 80 mph Combat. They are built
remarkably well and fly very well. However,
you will need to find out where these models
balance with your particular engine so that
the boom can be cut to the proper length.
Some pilots like Henry Nelson’s backplate
mount; others prefer two individual metal
mounts. They will cost you roughly $55
including shipping, depending on how many
you buy.
144 MODEL AVIATION
Just call and ask for cowlings,
wheelpants or floats from
Carl Goldberg Models,
Midwest Products, Global Hobbies,
Great Planes Manufacturing,
Pica Products and many more.
Most cowlings are seamless.
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection of
one piece, epoxy resin cowlings
and wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758
Call for Price List - or visit us at
www.stansfibertech.com
SIMPLEST GLOW DRIVER YET
■ Fully Automatic
■ No set-up, not even servo reversal
■ Progressive heating
■ Full off at 1/4 throttle
■ Turn off with engine kill
■ COMPLETE with plug connector
and 1900 mAhr battery
$39.95 s/h included Specify connector
C-TRONICS,Inc. P.O. Box 192, Ramsey, NJ 07446 201 818-4289 www.c-tronicsinc.com
Simple,Safe,Secure.
FLIGHT ALARM
■ Downed aircraft locator
■ 95 db @ 3 feet
■ Battery monitor, early low voltage
warning, even while flying
■ Automatic selection of 4.8 or 6.0
volt operation
$29.95 s/h included
Specify AM/FM or PCM and connector
FLIGHT FUELER
■ Know when your tank is full
■ No more “fueling the ground”
■ No hose disconnects
■ Great for cowled engines
$19.95 s/h included Specify connector
I truly love the way my own-design Fast
models fly, but they are labor intensive. A
combination of ready-built models with a
few of my own will keep me going to
contests on short notice. These models stay
out on the lines, turn tight, and are easy to
fly. George also has a boom version of an
Andre Belaiev design for Fast and 80 mph
that also works well.
I have a batch of Stels .36 engines that are
approximately an ounce lighter than the
Nelsons. The Stels is a good engine for the
Belaiev design. This combination handles
like an FAI-size model because it is nimble
and quick. The Stels does not make the
power of a Nelson, but it is not in the dog
category either. I have not tried George’s
Wakkerman Fast-design models, but he and
his son Mitchell use them and are happy with
them.
Although I like to experiment with a
variety of models and designs, one design
with the same flying characteristics is hard to
beat when it is time to compete. You can
reach George Cleveland at GRS Models, 36
Antigua Dr., Kenner LA 70065, or visit his
Web site at
http://pages.prodigy.net/gcleveland_grsmode
ls/. The telephone number is (504) 443-4640.
I have been doing quite a bit of test flying
with my new Fora .049 and have learned that
it needles well and starts easily. It is also fast
on 35- and 42-foot lines. The only thing you
have to do is make certain that the glow-plug
SP400
Bugatti Swordfish
P-36 Mig 3
XP-55 P-40
DH2
Gus Morfis 1/12
Mosquito Hurricane
Typhoon P-47
P-40 Corsair
Turnkey R/C Designs
Fi-256 . . . . . . . 72”
Stahlwerk . . . . . 52”
Loening . . . . . . 36”
D.A.D.
Jack Lewis 1/12
P-40 P-39
P-51 AD2
Spitfire Hurricane
Free
Catalog
08sig5.QXD 5.23.03 12:39 pm Page 144
clip touches the cylinder head—not the
crankcase. The crankcase is anodized black
and does not conduct electrical current. This
is a small price to pay for having a meanlooking
1⁄2A engine.
There are so many propellers to choose
from that it is hard to know which one works
best. Engines and propellers can be
purchased from GRS Models. The propellers
come in green, red, blue, and purple; I like to
start out with the green ones.
You may want to order two of each color
to start with, then after the engine is well
broken in you can determine which propeller
works best with the fuel you want to run. At
that point you can order enough propellers to
get you through the season.
In the last column I included a photograph
of several 1⁄2A models you can purchase from
GRS Models. I have flown all of them and
found that they work well. It will depend on
what sort of tail configuration you want to
use. I suggest that you purchase one of
several types of designs, then trim and test
them until you can settle on one you like.
Then again, you can always build your own
design.
Attention to detail will give you some added
luck. I like to closely inspect all of my
models before they get packed into the car
before a contest. I look for small rips in the
covering or loose edges that could tear away
in flight. Many times I have seen someone
out for a quick test flight, only to have the
model shred a big piece of covering.
Sometimes the pilot is lucky and the model
stays in the air, and other times the model
finds the ground.
I know I have mentioned the pushrod
attachment pieces that come with the readymade
models and how I have experienced
them splitting. It is an awful feeling to give a
model up or down control and it not respond,
and you try again with no response. If you
are lucky, the model will be reparable—if
not, you will make a donation to the trash
can.
It is also amazing how much brighter a
glow plug will light after you change the
battery leads. I like to use the clear lamp-cord
wire that you can buy at any hardware store
for 15- or 20¢ cents a foot. You can actually
see the copper wires turn green when they get
old. For less than $1, you can get better starts
from the same old battery.
Pay close attention to metal engine
mounts. They have been known to crack
from time to time. It’s better to catch a weak
mount on the ground than to have the engine
come off in the air. I also filter fuel going
into the bottle, coming out of the bottle, and
on its way to the needle valve. You may say
it’s overkill, but seldom do I have dirt in the
fuel system.
You can take all of this care in handling
your fuel, then throw your syringes on the
ground when you have finished fueling.
Take a close look at the syringe tip after you
throw it on the ground; you might find some
dirt. M
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 143,144,145
August 2003 143
IN 2003 YOU will see more speed-limit competitions than ever
before. The cash-money format for these contests will be in use
more and more. The fliers in Central California in the Morgan
Hill area advertised a contest in late April that offered a $1,000
first-place prize. I suspect that it will draw quite a few pilots. I
also saw on the Combat Web site that there would be a money
contest in the northeast part of the country.
I hope that all of the cash prizes do not ruin the
sportsmanship aspect of these speed-limit contests. It never
ceases to amaze me to see the killer instincts come out of usually
calm modelers when there is money on the line.
The whole point of the 75 mph and 80 mph events was to
bring new blood into Combat. Both speeds afford new and
veteran pilots time to think and react in a deliberate manner
instead of maneuvering at random in the hopes of cutting a
streamer.
One issue that has been widely discussed is the use of shutoff
devices in the speed-limit events. By rule it is a requirement in
80 mph, but not in 75 mph. Modelers are a resourceful bunch of
people who are capable of fantastic inventions when presented
with a task. I hope to see voluntary use by anyone who flies
Combat.
I have been watching the Speed Channel quite a bit of late
because I love all types of racing, be it auto or motorcycle. I did
a bit of motorcycle road racing in the early 1970s when I could
still fit on a 250cc Grand Prix Yamaha. I like some of the
historical films of Formula 1 or AMA (American Motorcycle
Association) Grand National events.
When you pay close attention to the equipment that was used
back then, you can see tremendous advancements in the safety
and reliability of the cars, the motorcycles, and the courses. The
size of a tire on a current Superbike resembles that of an early
Formula 1 car. The brakes are light-years ahead of the old drum
brakes I had to contend with on my production 350cc Kawasaki.
These brakes would fade so badly after a spirited ride that the
brake lever would go all the way to the grip, and the machine
would not stop.
When we know there is a better and safer way of doing
things, it’s lunacy to go back to inferior methods. It is so
unfortunate that it takes a tragedy of a well-known personality to
mandate safety changes. I am referring to the death of
NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the now mandated use of
head-restraining devices. There are few accidents in modelaircraft
Combat, but the potential is real. It is because I love the
event that I advocate the use of shutoff devices in all of the
events.
Depending on when you get your copy of Model Aviation, the
Fédération Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Combat Team
Trials will have taken place or will be happening in a day or two.
The Muncie, Indiana, venue is sure to draw a large number of
pilots from across the country who will vie for the three US
spots plus the one Junior position.
There will not be much difference in equipment from one
pilot to the next. The models will be mostly store-bought
Ukrainian or Czech-built units that will vary only in how much
trimming was done to them after the pilot got them.
Those models come close to being competition-ready, but
they do require some tweaking. Mike Willcox will be able to sit
back and watch or pit knowing that he is the World Champion
and will automatically get to defend his title in 2004. This July 4
CONTROL LINE COMBAT
Rich von Lopez, 8334 Colegio Dr., Los Angeles CA 90045
The mean-looking Fora .049 is sporting a green propeller.
This Stels .36 has all of the tricks the author can find.
The author likes these 1⁄2A-size Belaiev and Wakkerman models.
08sig5.QXD 5.23.03 12:39 pm Page 143
weekend in Muncie will be full of action.
I purchased a box full of George
Cleveland’s Louisiana Barracudas for Fast
and 80 mph Combat. They are built
remarkably well and fly very well. However,
you will need to find out where these models
balance with your particular engine so that
the boom can be cut to the proper length.
Some pilots like Henry Nelson’s backplate
mount; others prefer two individual metal
mounts. They will cost you roughly $55
including shipping, depending on how many
you buy.
144 MODEL AVIATION
Just call and ask for cowlings,
wheelpants or floats from
Carl Goldberg Models,
Midwest Products, Global Hobbies,
Great Planes Manufacturing,
Pica Products and many more.
Most cowlings are seamless.
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection of
one piece, epoxy resin cowlings
and wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758
Call for Price List - or visit us at
www.stansfibertech.com
SIMPLEST GLOW DRIVER YET
■ Fully Automatic
■ No set-up, not even servo reversal
■ Progressive heating
■ Full off at 1/4 throttle
■ Turn off with engine kill
■ COMPLETE with plug connector
and 1900 mAhr battery
$39.95 s/h included Specify connector
C-TRONICS,Inc. P.O. Box 192, Ramsey, NJ 07446 201 818-4289 www.c-tronicsinc.com
Simple,Safe,Secure.
FLIGHT ALARM
■ Downed aircraft locator
■ 95 db @ 3 feet
■ Battery monitor, early low voltage
warning, even while flying
■ Automatic selection of 4.8 or 6.0
volt operation
$29.95 s/h included
Specify AM/FM or PCM and connector
FLIGHT FUELER
■ Know when your tank is full
■ No more “fueling the ground”
■ No hose disconnects
■ Great for cowled engines
$19.95 s/h included Specify connector
I truly love the way my own-design Fast
models fly, but they are labor intensive. A
combination of ready-built models with a
few of my own will keep me going to
contests on short notice. These models stay
out on the lines, turn tight, and are easy to
fly. George also has a boom version of an
Andre Belaiev design for Fast and 80 mph
that also works well.
I have a batch of Stels .36 engines that are
approximately an ounce lighter than the
Nelsons. The Stels is a good engine for the
Belaiev design. This combination handles
like an FAI-size model because it is nimble
and quick. The Stels does not make the
power of a Nelson, but it is not in the dog
category either. I have not tried George’s
Wakkerman Fast-design models, but he and
his son Mitchell use them and are happy with
them.
Although I like to experiment with a
variety of models and designs, one design
with the same flying characteristics is hard to
beat when it is time to compete. You can
reach George Cleveland at GRS Models, 36
Antigua Dr., Kenner LA 70065, or visit his
Web site at
http://pages.prodigy.net/gcleveland_grsmode
ls/. The telephone number is (504) 443-4640.
I have been doing quite a bit of test flying
with my new Fora .049 and have learned that
it needles well and starts easily. It is also fast
on 35- and 42-foot lines. The only thing you
have to do is make certain that the glow-plug
SP400
Bugatti Swordfish
P-36 Mig 3
XP-55 P-40
DH2
Gus Morfis 1/12
Mosquito Hurricane
Typhoon P-47
P-40 Corsair
Turnkey R/C Designs
Fi-256 . . . . . . . 72”
Stahlwerk . . . . . 52”
Loening . . . . . . 36”
D.A.D.
Jack Lewis 1/12
P-40 P-39
P-51 AD2
Spitfire Hurricane
Free
Catalog
08sig5.QXD 5.23.03 12:39 pm Page 144
clip touches the cylinder head—not the
crankcase. The crankcase is anodized black
and does not conduct electrical current. This
is a small price to pay for having a meanlooking
1⁄2A engine.
There are so many propellers to choose
from that it is hard to know which one works
best. Engines and propellers can be
purchased from GRS Models. The propellers
come in green, red, blue, and purple; I like to
start out with the green ones.
You may want to order two of each color
to start with, then after the engine is well
broken in you can determine which propeller
works best with the fuel you want to run. At
that point you can order enough propellers to
get you through the season.
In the last column I included a photograph
of several 1⁄2A models you can purchase from
GRS Models. I have flown all of them and
found that they work well. It will depend on
what sort of tail configuration you want to
use. I suggest that you purchase one of
several types of designs, then trim and test
them until you can settle on one you like.
Then again, you can always build your own
design.
Attention to detail will give you some added
luck. I like to closely inspect all of my
models before they get packed into the car
before a contest. I look for small rips in the
covering or loose edges that could tear away
in flight. Many times I have seen someone
out for a quick test flight, only to have the
model shred a big piece of covering.
Sometimes the pilot is lucky and the model
stays in the air, and other times the model
finds the ground.
I know I have mentioned the pushrod
attachment pieces that come with the readymade
models and how I have experienced
them splitting. It is an awful feeling to give a
model up or down control and it not respond,
and you try again with no response. If you
are lucky, the model will be reparable—if
not, you will make a donation to the trash
can.
It is also amazing how much brighter a
glow plug will light after you change the
battery leads. I like to use the clear lamp-cord
wire that you can buy at any hardware store
for 15- or 20¢ cents a foot. You can actually
see the copper wires turn green when they get
old. For less than $1, you can get better starts
from the same old battery.
Pay close attention to metal engine
mounts. They have been known to crack
from time to time. It’s better to catch a weak
mount on the ground than to have the engine
come off in the air. I also filter fuel going
into the bottle, coming out of the bottle, and
on its way to the needle valve. You may say
it’s overkill, but seldom do I have dirt in the
fuel system.
You can take all of this care in handling
your fuel, then throw your syringes on the
ground when you have finished fueling.
Take a close look at the syringe tip after you
throw it on the ground; you might find some
dirt. M