Control Line: Speed
MAGNIFICENT! Colossal! Stupendous! Maybe that's a little strong, but that's what I thought of the 1996 Nationals! It was great, and it was fun. The Control Line area at the AMA site is beautiful, smooth blacktop; I had built a couple of new pylons for Speed that really worked well. The weather was outstanding-the best that I can remember for any Nats. I expected high humidity and temperatures in the 90s, but we had clear, nice days-only two of the days had temperatures beyond 80º. It was a little windy on Tuesday when we flew A and FAI, but not enough to bother anyone.
Control Line: Speed
1996 NATIONALS: When I wrote about the Nats a few months ago, I listed Dimmitt Perkins as the Open Jet Speed winner - that was not correct. The Perkins Team won. Steve flies, while his father, Dimmitt, and brother, Dimmy Jr., handle the pitting. When I copied the results on that last hurried day of Speed flying, I just wrote down "Perkins" and I forgot that they fly as a team - I apologize. Jet Speed is one event in which you need experienced help when starting those beasts! Most Speed competitors are good people who will readily help anyone who is shorthanded. Billy Hughes, Tommy and Slugger Brown, and other strong, young guys like to fly Speed models, so they fly many entrants' airplanes for them. Rules state that the entrant must either fly his or her model or start and set the model's engine. If you are alone but want to fly Speed, build an airplane and Speed fliers will help you get it into the air.
Control Line Speed
IF YOU READ MY 1994 NATS REPORT about the Speed competition at Lubbock last July, you are aware of the extraordinary performance by the FABS Team (Bob Fogg, Carlos Aloise, George Brown III, and Howard Sheehan). Their outstanding speeds are the result of much dedicated work and expertise, and each member contributes his share. Carlos is the engine builder. He learned about engine treatment many years ago when, as a teenager, he was a top competitor in the Navy Carrier event. He worked on his engines in his father's machine shop; that was where he learned that the sleeve and piston fit was the most important part of an engine to work on to get maximum performance.
Control Line: Speed
JET TEST STAND: The jet engine test stand shown in the September issue does not belong to Jerry Thomas, as stated. It was designed and built by Earl Bailey-the manufacturer of the Bailey jet engines-from Houston, Texas. Earl did extensive testing of model pulse jets before he arrived at the design of the engine he is producing. Jerry Thomas is one of the most avid Jet fliers in the US, and borrowed the test stand to compare it with his own thrust-measuring equipment. Our pulse jet engines are erratic beasts, and do not always operate the way we would like them to or the way we think they should. A good thrust-measuring device is almost imperative and is the fastest way to test a new design or new modifications to your engine.
Control Line: Speed
TURBOJETS: Most of you have probably seen write-ups, advertisements, and maybe even demonstrations of the small turbojet engines that modelers have been trying in RC Scale airplanes. From what I have read, the early engines required a rather complicated starting system and had other problems such as fuel, fuel tanks, and safety concerns. It took a crew of several persons to start them, just like full-scale jet engines. Newer versions have been improved and simplified until they can be started and operated by one person. I saw a demonstration flight at the Nats, and it was impressive to say the least! The sound was just like a full-scale jet, and thrust and speed were outstanding. Some of us Speed fliers wondered how it would be to fly one Control Line, but we realized that it might be a little too large and too powerful.
