Radio Control Combat 2010/07

July 2010 109
Homemade engine repair and improvement
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Combat Don Grissom
Also included in this column:
• Annual Bushwhacked
Spring Fling
Above: Combat engines take a beating.
The silver O.S. 15LA carburetor has its
plastic fuel fittings replaced with copper
tubing. J.B. Weld is the secret to enginerepair
home remedies.
Left: The Bushwhacked Spring Fling starts
Combat with a perfect launch. Each pilot
has a judge who counts cuts and rule
violations and assists with launches.
Below: Spring Fling Scale 2548 pilots (LR):
Kenny Clements, Don Fourson, Ted
Cwikiel, Craig Buttery, Chris Handegard,
Nick Windsor, Matt Chontos, John
Harding.
WHEN I RETURNED home from a recent
contest, I noticed that one of my engines
had sustained a lot of damage. It was an
O.S. 15LA that I use for Slow Survivable
Combat (SSC). Most people thought that I
would have to replace the carburetor and
muffler, because the connections were torn
off.
Despite the severity of the damage, all I
needed to repair the engine was copper
tubing and J.B. Weld, which you can get
from a hardware store. This product is
similar to epoxy but can handle the heat
from the engine and does a good job of
mending different materials.
To make this repair, first remove the fuel
connection that is remaining on the engine
or muffler. It is also good to clean the
surface and remove debris. Soap and water
07sig4_00MSTRPG.QXD 5/25/10 2:14 PM Page 109
will work well, as will any grease-cutting
cleaner or spray.
Using a drill bit the size of the copper
tubing, enlarge the holes where the tubing
will be substituted for the old fittings. Place
the copper tubing in the hole and try to blow
air through the hole, to make sure that it is
the correct size. This is important on the
carburetor, because you want a smooth fuel
flow into the engine.
Apply J.B. Weld on the connection.
Make a 50/50 blend of the two containers
into a mixing cup or tray. You won’t need
much to make this repair.
Once you have it mixed, give it
approximately a minute before applying to
let it start hardening. If not, it might ooze
into the hole and prevent a good fuel flow.
Apply the resin to the outside of the
connection and the copper tubing. Do not put
any in the hole that was made; you would
run a risk of clogging the inlets. You need to
keep the part level and try not to move it
much.
Let the resin dry for a day or two before
using the area, to ensure that the joint is
cured. I have found that these connections, if
done correctly, will last longer than the
originals.
I received some new 2548 Combat kits
from Chris Handegard that I plan on
working on for the next issue. Chris has
been one of the biggest supporters of 2548
in the past few years. Last year he released a
Ki-43 Oscar that I currently use, and this
year he has released his P-47 kit.
While I was talking to Chris, he sent me
information about his first contest of the year.
Hosted by the RC Bush Pilots of West Palm
Beach, Florida, the 5th Annual Bushwhacked
Spring Fling took place April 10-11.
Three classes of competition were
scheduled: Open B, Scale 2548, and SSC,
with a planned eight rounds for each
category. Pilots traveled from as far away as
Palm City, Naples, and Tampa, Florida.
Among the group were two young fliers:
Nick Windsor and Kenny Clements. Nick is
a relative veteran, having participated in the
AMA Nationals, and Kenny is in his second
season of competition. Both are already
accomplished Combat pilots.
Weather conditions were a factor in this
contest from the outset; wind speeds on
Saturday were easily 25 mph and gusty. But
fortunately they came from a favorable
direction. Even so, the nine competitors in
Open B had their hands full with the
blustery conditions. Mostly sunny skies
prevailed.
The first five rounds were flown in two
heats. Then the pilots went to all-up for the
final three rounds, which is exciting.
Good club support and spectator turnout
make for a good event, and the Bush Pilots
cooked and served lunch to the pilots,
volunteers, and spectators. The competition
itself and scoring were standard. But when
the competition was finished, young Nick
Windsor had pulled out to a command of
nearly 1,000 points.
Maintaining a smooth-flowing and
rapid pace was easy because everyone
arrived well prepared, even though bad
weather was predicted. That proved to be
substantially motivating, to the point
where the event came to a close on
Sunday after flying only six of the eight
scheduled rounds in SSC because a
thunderstorm got too close for comfort.
Having completed the eight scheduled
Open B rounds, Saturday’s action
continued as planned with four rounds of
2548 Scale. Seven pilots flew in the first
four rounds on Saturday, and an eighth
pilot was expected to join the group on
Sunday.
The realism of Combat models that are
intended to replicate World War II
fighters and the slower speeds in 2548
competition make for a flavor of Combat
that pilots and spectators alike enjoy. It
generally calls for more pursuit and a
tactical approach rather than all-out melee.
The weather on Sunday took a turn for
the moist. That did not deter eight stalwart
and hardy souls from gearing up with their
finest heavy metal, to sortie out into the
gray unknown and do battle.
After enduring intermittent showers
and unfortunate streamer fall-off, the
competition transitioned to the use of
forestry tape instead of standard crepe
paper streamers. Forestry tape is what
Combat pilots use in place of standard
crepe paper whenever conditions become
too humid.
Forestry tape is used to mark trees for
various reasons, such as harvesting, and is
weather-resistant and much harder to cut
or break than the regular streamer
material.
After two days of fun in the wind, sun,
wind, rain, and wind, the event wrapped
up with Nick Windsor claiming the
overall championship trophy. The
finishing order in SSC and Scale 2548
were the same; fifth through first places
went to John Harding, Kenny Clements,
Craig Buttery, Nick Windsor, and Chris
Handegard.
I thank the AMA for maintaining RC
Combat as an officially sanctioned event
and the Radio Control Combat
Association for its outstanding
organization of our SIG and the Web site
it maintains. The RCCA site contains a
wealth of information and many resources
and tools that make putting on a contest
much easier for the CD and the
competition pilots.
Check the contest listings for an event
near you, and join the fun by coming to
watch. Better yet, experience for yourself
the thrill of the chase; see if you don’t
agree that RC Combat is the most exciting
five minutes in model aviation. MA
Sources:
The Radio Control Combat Association
www.rccombat.com
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