Free Flight: Duration
FUN! David Ramsey sent the accompanying group picture of a SAM (Society of Antique Modelers-chartered club) No. 1-sponsored funfly of a different nature that took place in Denver, CO last March. Note that all of the models on display are of one design-the ageless Comet Sparky rubber-powered model. The affair brought 20 Sparkies out of the Rocky Mountain woodwork, including two entries down from Wyoming. Those pictured are: Standing (left to right): D. Lund, B. Warren, J. Lange, M. Fields, L. Payne, B. Layne, Bill Etherington, J. Berryman, O. Guest, and K. Nordensen; kneeling: D. Ramsey, W. Leiper, R. Norstog, and A. Grosheider. Club projects on building a specific model design do not generally result in such active participation, but these "youngsters" appear to have enjoyed the occasion immensely.
Free Flight: Duration
THANKS. In the interim since our last session, the volume of fresh postal commentary and column feedback has been most gratifying and probably more than sufficient to fulfill my space quota for this issue should I attempt to honor all responses. I hope this is an indication that we are passing on items that are of interest to most. At any rate, I'll get on with the program to enable covering as much of the mail bag material as possible-and many thanks to all who take the time to contribute to the written words of Free Flight. Denton's stripper. Serious-minded rubber-power competitors be alerted! Larry Kruse sent the photo of Stan Denton's custom-made rubber stripper. This fantastic machine may be the world's best for the purpose intended.
Free Flight: Duration
ENGINES-again. Since I concluded the last session with an article about an antique engine, suppose that we begin this month's doings with a review of a relatively newer power plant. Doc Passen recently sent me a wealth of information on a relatively low-cost engine which appears to have considerable potential for competition in either AMA Class A Free Flight or in FAI Power (Class F1C). The subject engine is a Cipolla Master Combat/FF AAC-SE 2.5 (that's 2.5cc or .1525 cu. in. displacement). Doc's performance claims, along with a sale price of $59.95 (plus $3 postage), eventually provoked me to order one for myself, and the results have been quite gratifying.
Free Flight: Duration
FAI FF TEAM. It is assumed that model media coverage of the early October U.S.A. Free Flight team selection finals at Taft, CA will eventually be provided in detail by various publications. However, friend Gilbert Morris sent me a rather nice, short synopsis of the meet's outcome as viewed by a participant rather than as an observing reporter, and I thought our followers would find interest in his comments. Furthermore, since the information could not have been received at a more opportune time than when I was just gathering data to formulate this month's column, maybe we will at least scoop some of the publications by relating the most important news, which is: "Who made the teams?" At any rate, Gil's report follows:
Free Flight: Duration
READERS WRITE. One advantage of performing this reporting task on an every-other-month basis is that it sometimes permits response to reader comments on a more timely basis. That is, if the reader should take up pen and paper promptly after receiving his subject magazine issue, there is quite often a week or 10-day interim before the columnist reaches the submittal deadline to his editor for his subsequent column. This can permit a small window to publicly answer reader comments that may have general interest in his very next column. (I will now get a short, sharp note from the boss, Associate Editor Ross McMullen, about my being continually tardy with my column material . . . tee hee.) Anyhow, this is one time the plan apparently worked, so we shall begin this session where we left off in discussing various types of thermal-detecting aids. I thought this response from Bob File was an interesting slant on the subject.
