Control Line Combat - 2010/11

146 MODEL AVIATION
first, to preclude
false readings.
If you determine
that the airplane
does need tip
weight, start by
taping a penny to
the tip of the model
and then
performing a test
flight. If the aircraft
needs more weight,
tape on a second
penny. Some
aeromodelers start
with a nickel.
If you can see
the bottom of the
wing in level flight
and the top surface
in inverted flight,
the model has too
much tip weight.
This condition is
characterized by a “heavy feel” and a
dropping of the outboard wing in
consecutive loops.
Once you are satisfied that your
airplane flies the way you like it to, it’s
a good idea to glue the tip weight to
the outboard wingtip. This will require
that you cut away a bit of covering
Tip-weights technology
[[email protected]]
Control Line Combat Rich Lopez
Also included in this column:
• FAI/Fast rules contest
• Engine mount disease
Texas Combat produced Mike “Emo” Willcox (L) and Norman Lester Haury. Both
represented the US in Hungary in 2010.
Greg Hill represented the US at the 2010
CL World Championships in Hungary. He
comes up with smart ideas, such as that
for hiding wingtip weight.
“How mucH tip weight should I add to
my model?” is a question that many CL
fliers ask.
You need to have enough weight on the
tip of the aircraft to counteract the weight
and drag of the lines and the line connectors.
Let’s take for example an RTF that you
can purchase from one of the Ukrainian or
Russian suppliers. These models all have
built-in tip weight that is either glued or
screwed in and glued to the outboard end
rib, just behind the LE. The manufacturers
use steel or lead weights to accomplish this
task.
You need to fly the airplane to see how it
handles on the end of the lines. A good
indicator that there is not enough tip weight
is if you are able to see the top of the wing
in level flight and the bottom of the wing in
inverted flight.
There will also be a “light feel” to the
aircraft and an occasional bouncing-in on
the lines, especially while flying upwind.
When determining the need for additional
tip weight, the model must be dewarped
Phil Granderson (L) and Steve Hills capture some shade while
Paul Vallins misbehaves in the background. You can find Steve’s
biography on the Web site listed in the column “Sources.”
11sig5.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 9/23/10 10:24 AM Page 146
November 2010 147
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from the wingtip so that there is access
to the section of wood where the weight
will be glued.
I use 5-minute epoxy and a wooden
coffee stirrer for this task. Then I replace
the covering material that I removed with
heat-shrink covering.
You could leave the tip weight taped on
top of the model, but it could fly off in
flight. Greg Hill simply cuts a small slot in
the LE, above the front spar, and pushes the
coin into the foam. He also makes certain
that there is a bit of tape over the cut.
Russ Hester has been building his owndesign
foam aircraft that incorporate
wooden wingtips and end ribs. Instead of
adding coins he utilizes heavier basswood
for the outboard rib and tip, while the
inboard parts are balsa.
The thought there is that the coins are
riding “free” and contributing nothing to
the strength of the model. The basswood
parts, on the other hand, add strength to the
structure of the airplane or, as we like to
say, “pay their fair share.”
FAI/Fast Rules Contest: We have begun
experimenting with contests that employ
F2D models and the traditional AMA Fast
Combat rules. Our second contest in
Southern California was held in late June
and had 10 entries.
We were able to fly a triple-elimination
format at a leisurely pace on a Saturday.
We required a “Le Mans,” in which each
pilot started his own engine and ran or
quickly walked to the handle. This helped
avoid possible tie scores and the need for
reflown matches.
The kill rule made judging easier and
required fewer people. All of the shutoff
devices were inspected, to determine
whether or not fuel flow would stop upon
activation.
Jeff Hanauer, Kevin Hebestreit, Alex
Rennick, and Lance Matassa made the trip
from Arizona to participate. Greg Hill and
Darrin Albert drove up from San Diego and
brought volunteer judge Sean Dea and an
entourage of spectators that included
Charlie Johnson, Stewart Mossman, and
Rich Ambler.
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148 MODEL AVIATION
Chuck Rudner, Pete Athans, Bill
Maywald, Russ Hester, and I also
competed. Russ Graves was recuperating
from an auto accident and helped with
judging.
Darrin Albert finished in first place. Bill
Maywald was second and Greg Hill was
third. All of the pilots present were happy
with the format and want to continue with
this type of contest in the future.
Pete Athans has been in contact with
Chris Gay in Chicago about having a big
contest utilizing this format in conjunction
with the 2011 AMA Nats. Chris already
organizes a large F2D contest in
Romeoville, Illinois, and is thinking of
moving that contest to the Nats as well.
I organized a similar contest in 2004 at
the AMA Nats and immediately after the
World Championships in Muncie. We drew
55 pilots from around the world for this
competition. There is hope for the Fast
Combat-rules contests, although the bigger
.36-size engines will not be in play.
Engine Mounts: The product run coming
from Ukraine and Russia has changed
significantly; the bottom and top mounts are
now interchangeable. However, they still
contain a built-in offset so that the engine is
angled a bit to give clearance to the muffler
over the LE.
Previous sets of mounts had different top
and bottom units. If one side developed a
crack or broke, both were out of
commission.
Nothing on a Combat model is immune
from fatigue or eventual failure. The quality
of equipment is fabulous these days,
compared with the early days of F2D
Combat. The power plants start and tune
easily, run fast, and last a long time.
It is important to make certain that your
engine mounts are securely bolted to the
model and that the engine mount bolts are
snug. If you observe the preparations of
some of the top pilots, such as Chuck
Rudner, you will notice that they check the
bolts before the first flight of the day.
I have made it a routine to wipe the oil
off of the airplane after each flight. I do
this for my models and those I catch for
my fellow pilots. There are two reasons
for this.
The first is related to safety; an oily
aircraft is slippery and can escape the grasp
of the mechanic, especially if the day is hot
and humid or cold and damp. The second
reason is to inspect the model carefully for
cracks, tears in the covering, or any other
anomalies.
Many RTFs are fitted with aluminum
spacers for the engine mount bolts to pass
through. The manufacturers will be off a bit
on occasion and give models an unwanted
in-thrust or out-thrust. The out-thrust will
not hurt, but the in-thrust will give the
airplane a light feel and could cause it to fly
in at you.
Greg Hill had a batch of aircraft that
suffered from “in-thrustitis.” He spent a
great deal of time redrilling and refitting the
spacers. The drill fixture must have been off
or the machinist could have had a late night
or an extra beverage with lunch.
I routinely drill the spacer with a 1/8-inch
bit so that there is a small amount of play
for tiny adjustments.
Steve Hills: I mentioned him in the
September column as having passed away. I
found an old photograph of Steve and Phil
Granderson in my files that I wanted to
share with you this month. MA
Sources:
Steve Hills
www.shills.com
Mike Willcox
[email protected]
Miniature Aircraft Combat Association
www.maca.hobby-site.com:3535
Visit the AMA Education
Committee Web site at
www.modelaircraft.org/
education.aspx
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