Control Line: Navy Carrier
I HAD A WONDERFUL time in November in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Arizona Control Line Club Carrier contest. It was the first Carrier event in the state in quite a few years to feature all of the Carrier events. The Southwest Regionals had quite a bit of Carrier participation in the early 1970s when I was stationed there, but the Regionals now has only Profile Carrier. It was really good to renew old friendships. Some of the pilots and aircraft were showing the effects of a long layoff, but it was a good time; I'm looking forward to next year. Thanks to Ted Kraver for sponsoring the event and serving as Contest Director. The Phoenix event was 12-year-old David Smith's (Mesa AZ) first Carrier contest. He placed second in the .15 Carrier category, and completed a full flight with a 100-point landing on his first attempt. Well done, David. Welcome to Carrier flying.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
New Address: Those of you who have been reading this column through the years might be used to seeing my address change periodically, but since I retired from the Air Force I expected to be staying in Albuquerque for a while. I'm still here, but I've moved to a different house; this one has a garage large enough to accommodate a workshop and our cars. Unfortunately, it is currently housing neither, and it is likely to be a couple more months before the shelves are in and the moving boxes are unpacked sufficiently for the garage to be anything other than a storeroom. I also have a new telephone number; you may call me at (505) 856-7008.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
Fox Mark VII Combat Special: The Fox Combat Special has always been a good engine for Profile Carrier. The latest version, the Mark VII, is available direct from the factory. It can be purchased with a carburetor, and if desired, a left-hand crankshaft. Competitors who have worked with the Mark VII report that it is an excellent engine with very good performance potential, and is light in weight. The traditional dimensions of the Fox Combat Special have been .800-inch bore and .714-inch stroke for a displacement of .359 cubic inches.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
Nats Equipment: It's been a couple of years since I've done a comprehensive review of the equipment used at the Nats. I like to do those reviews periodically because I believe that they are useful for anyone planning new models or new engines. With the building season upon us, now is as good a time as any. There are many potentially successful choices for Navy Carrier equipment. The Carrier pilot's skill has a large influence on the score; good equipment isn't as critical as it is in other competition categories, such as Speed and Racing, but it's still required for maximum performance. It's possible for good piloting skills to overcome equipment disadvantages, but the equipment determines the ultimate limit in performance. With the level of competition at the Nats, models there indicate which equipment is performing well.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
Wing Loading Revisited: The reason our current airplanes are significantly larger than the ones we flew 25 years ago is that slow speed is important to obtaining a good score. Our airplanes are larger because a lighter wing loading produces a better low speed. I pointed out the performance differences which were evident at the Nats in my last column. Because slow speed has a predominant role in determining overall flight score, the majority of our models are now built to a 44-inch wingspan limit. Because wing loading is determined by dividing weight by wing area, there are basically two ways to decrease wing loading: You can build a model lighter, and you can build a model larger. Building lighter has its limitations, and experience has shown that the best improvement in performance comes from building larger models.
