Free Flight: Duration
TWIGS: Gil Morris follows his highly successful string of Toothpicks and Matchsticks designs for the AMA Gas events with a new 1/2A concept for 1994. Twigs is a high-aspect-ratio model designed around the new Russian VA .049. The VA has a horizontally-split crankcase, weighs about 8 grams less than a Cox TD, and claims peak rpm of 25K or more-and all this for $45 each. Since the lightweight engine provides impetus to attach it to a lightly built model for maximum performance, Gil takes his usual stroke in using lotsa 1/32 sheet balsa in the construction of the model; incorporates fabricated Mad Ball toy timer fuel shutoff; and uses a novel H-shaped weight-saving aluminum engine mount.
Free Flight: Duration
I HAVE BEEN HAVING "heated" arguments with the weatherman in an attempt to get him to cough up some nice warm sunny days so I can finally get to the AMA Muncie flying site this spring for some test flying. Today is such a day: warm and sunny and a cloudless sky-super! Then, I note in the morning paper that we get an eclipse of the sun at noon, and you "musn't" look at the sun until about 3 p.m. or you'll be struck blind on the spot (or something like that). How can you fly free flight and not take an occasional peek at the sun? Drat! Murphy's Law strikes again! So I'll crank out the column instead-sitting in the shade, of course. Toledo: Those annual winter/springtime RC trade shows are mostly past at this writing. I take in the Toledo show each year, and although it is RC oriented, there are always some neat items of interest to free flighters.
Free Flight: Duration
USOC NOTES: The final bell has just tolled to mark the end of the July 5-9 United States Outdoor Championships (USOC). The affair was a great success, as was a first-time event: Early 1/2A Nostalgia Gas. Not since Hand-Held Catapult Glider popped onto the field has a new event made such an initial splash in a national competition. Would you believe 43 entrants? The event sports the same rules as 1/2A Nostalgia Gas, with the following exceptions: Only five of the early 1/2A glow engines are currently eligible: the K&B Torpedo, Wasp, Spitfire, Spitzy, and the OK Cubs; scaling of designs is not permitted; and glow heads and flat coil glow plugs are nixed. That's it! The idea is to utilize the comparatively weak power plants in the 150-200 square inch models for which they were originally designed. Some of the combinations seen at USOC were OK Cub-powered Zeeks and Spacers, a Wasp-powered Wanderlust, a Mini-Hogan, and numerous Frank Ehling designs.
Free Flight: Duration
NEWS FLASH! Whereas there is to be a detailed report on these pages in an upcoming issue, please be advised that the NFFS Free Flight Week held June 19-23 near Lawrenceville, IL was a huge success. Unofficially, there was a total of 405 entrants representing 31 states and Canada. Most precontest guesstimates had topped at around 250 contestants, so the organizers were a little aghast (to say the least!) by the tremendous turnout. The 165 folks who attended the Tuesday evening SAM 57 dinner represented a sellout for that event. Thursday's NFFS dinner meeting sold 190 tickets!
Free Flight: Duration
NFFS NOTES: The National Free Flight Society has announced its choices for the 10 models of the year for 1989. They are: AMA Large Power-Hummin Bird by Charles Caton; AMA Small Power-Booger II by Glenn Schneider; AMA Large Rubber-Bandwagon by Roger Gregory; FIA Nordic-S-11 Allround by Stefan Rumpp (W. Germany); FIB Wakefield-Fantasy by Stafford Quinn; FIC Power-Silhouette by Stafford Screen (Gr. Britain); Indoor Scale-DO-X Flying Boat by Don Srull; Indoor Intermediate Stick-Symphony by Earl Hoffman; Special Publication-Building and Flying Indoor Model Airplanes by Ron Williams; Special-Series of over 40 Peanut Scale drawings of French civil aircraft by Emanuel Fillon.
