Bird of Prey
IN THE 35 or so years since its inception, Combat has never quite overcome its reputation as a fad-ridden event, sort of an eccentric second cousin. Ironically, many of these fads were begun by good pilots who were squeezing the utmost out of mediocre designs. Expert fliers could get away with features that violated sound aerodynamic principles-some, in fact, were used mainly for show; but as bellwethers for the rank-and-file Combat modelers, their choices were quickly imitated. Though most of these fads didn't hurt the model's performance, they certainly didn't help much, either. Several of the less innocent features, however, bred a spate of bad designs.
Stuka Stunt
Larger than the average ½A Stunter but still compact, this somewhat-scale Stuka with its 37¼-in.-span, 223½-sq.-in. wing is a real performer. It's quite competitive and tons of fun to fly. In the eyes of most fledgling modelers, kit manufacturers are the indisputable experts on model design standards. After all, if you're going to invest time and capital into building models, you're certainly going to make sure they're thoroughly tested and that they deliver the best possible performance. Surely kit companies wouldn't produce second-rate equipment - or would they? The average beginner unquestioningly assumes that manufacturers have proven their products through hours of flight testing. When he buys a kit, he takes it on faith he's getting the best performance attainable for that particular type of model. Ergo, when the kit companies build ½A models with 18- to 24-in. wingspans, that must be the correct size for ½A airplanes, right? Heaven forbid that we should question the commercial arbiters by considering anything with a wing area in excess of 120 sq. in.!
P-82 Twin Mustang
THIS DESIGN grew out of my desire to try a twin-engine, semiscale CL sport Stunt model. After narrowing down the choices to the World War II P-series, I settled on the P-82 simply because it's easier than the P-38. The North American P-82 Twin Mustang was developed near the end of World War II as a long-range escort fighter for the Pacific theater. Intended for missions up to 12 hours long, it required a second pilot. Only the outer wing panels and the canopies, both from the P51H, were interchangeable with the Mustang.
1/2A Arrow
RECENT ADVANCES in 1/2A engine technology are rapidly squeezing out the venerable Cox Tee Dees in modeling competition. Hot-rod Shurikens and CSs delivering high performance at high rpm have broadened our expectations about what an engine can do. And not only Speed, Racing, and Combat fliers are benefiting. Stunt and sport fliers have discovered, in the double ball bearing PAW .049 diesel, an engine that provides excellent Stunt performance for one-third the price of a Shuriken.
Keep It Simple, Stupid
KISS-the acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid-has been seen and lost sight of in many industries and pastimes. The road to this noble concept is filled with many ruts, potholes, and detours! We call these difficulties design compromises. We will describe some of the compromises required in designing this model, while attempting to maintain the purest KISS concepts. The first design consideration is the primary function of the model. Do we want an event-specific model or a sport plane? How much strength (weight) and maneuverability do we want? Control line model designs are usually based on the amount of maneuverability and/or speed desired. A modern
