Control Line: Combat
SURPRISE! The U.S. FAI CL Combat team consists of the normal three flying members plus their pit crews and, for the first time, a non-flying member, who was the highest-placing Junior or Senior at the Team Trials. It was assumed at the Team Trials that Michael Willcox would get that position because he was the last Junior or Senior to be eliminated, and the only other person in contention was John Stubblefield, who made the regular team. As it turned out, Michael went out in the same round as did Eric Parker, so a special two-out-of-three series was arranged at the annual St. Louis contest to determine the highest-placing Junior/Senior. Michael and his father, Pat, drove all the way up from Texas but had a lot of equipment problems and just couldn't hold off a very hot Eric Parker for the special spot. So, congratulations to Eric, and we hope he has a nice trip to the World Championships in Hungary.
Control Line: Combat
CONTROL LINE newsletters are filled with gripes about how the manufacturers and hobby shops have forgotten about our particular interests. Having once taken a course in economics at college, I consider myself an expert in the area and will agree that there is a problem for both parties. I've always been in favor of supporting the local hobby shops, but we've come to a point where we cannot expect local hobby dealers to stock specialty items. Enter the 1986 version of the Bear Necessities catalog put out by-who else but-Bear Model Products, 2709 Turtlecreek Dr., Hazel Crest, IL 60429; phone (312) 798-4381. This is a quality, 16-page catalog of all the goodies you've been looking for. Things like "Bear Kits" for FAI Combat at $18.50, 1/2A kits for $14.50, and the Fast Combat model which runs $22.50.
AMA Nats: CL Combat
MEMORABLE. The previous Nats held in Lincoln in 1979 and 1982 were good-but not especially memorable. Combat had good matches, but that was about all. The 1982 Nats will be remembered, though, as the one where the lights were turned off by an errant Slow Combat model. The fly-away model, trailing its control lines, flew around some power lines located in the vicinity of the site and caused a transformer to blow in a spectacular fashion. A professional photographer caught the action, and it was on display in the AMA HQ tent along with a lot of other neat photos available to the contestants. The Celebrity Fun-Fly featured Burt Rutan (designer of the around-the-world Voyager plane) flying against Hazel Sig-Hester using a couple of her models which may be kitted in the future. It was one-to-one when the rest of the AMA officials and Duke Fox got into the fray, turning it into the biggest free-for-all since the 1971 Nats where California challenged the world. Vince "Head-On-Pass" Mankowski and Duke Fox put on the best show, with the winner being the one with the slightly faster engine.
Control Line: Combat
CLOSE! How many matches have been lost because one pilot was the second one up? I watched closely the pit work of the Texas teams during the latest Nats, and there may be a thing or two for all of us to learn. The first step is to get out to the circle early and get the model ready. Run the engine to make sure the setting is right, the needle is locked down, and all that. Shut the engine off and refill the bladder (if necessary), turn the model upside down, and put four drops of fuel in the exhaust. Turn the crankshaft (in the normal direction of rotation) until the piston is up at the top of its compression stroke. Keep the exhaust port closed, and don't flip the prop or put on the starting battery. You can leave it in this mode for a minute or two, although it's better to do this drill in the 30 sec. before the start time of the match.
Control Line: Combat
REVOLUTIONARY stuff is in the column this month-but you aren't permitted to read any further until you send in your MACA (Miniature Aircraft Combat Association-Ed.) subscription. I haven't plugged MACA for a couple of months, so get those checkbooks out and send your 10 bucks to MACA Secretary-Treasurer Mike Urban, 316 Spring Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. Besides all the latest information from around the world and reports from various districts, there were seven pages of pictures in the latest issue of the newsletter, plus some super cartoons by Steve Hills and a MACA survey on what you want in Combat. This is the time to join MACA while newsletter editor Pete Plunkett is still filled with energy and enthusiasm and Combat seems to be on such an upswing.
