Control Line: Racing
MOUSE RACING: This month's photos focus on 1/2A Mouse Racing. One photo was taken at the Tree Town Modelaires' Memorial Day contest and shows the entry of Junior contestant David Schuette being pitted by his dad, Jim. These little models are tricky to pit when you're using the spring starter on the engine, so you can see that both the inboard and outboard wings are being stabilized while the spring starter is being engaged and wound. A further advantage of stabilizing the plane in this manner is that the pilot can be assured that the plane is not angled either towards or away from the center of the circle when it's released, thereby allowing a smooth takeoff.
Control Line: Racing
NEW MODEL for Scale Racing: In the past few years, increased growth in Racing events has, for the most part, been in Mouse and Scale Racing. In general, there is a very limited number of full-scale racers which can be accurately scaled down for use in our event. Generally the fuselage and/or wing location makes it unsatisfactory for mounting the .15 engine, fuel shutoff, and fuel tank. Finding a full-scale aircraft with good flying characteristics which also satisfies all the required caveats for Control Line use is difficult.
Control Line: Racing
LITTLE QUICKIE construction: I have had numerous requests for information and visual aids relating to the construction of Scale Racers. At the majority of our Midwestern events, Scale Racing profits from the largest entry level. Larry Dziak has shared some of his proven construction techniques with me, and I will share them with you. One of the photos shows the primary construction of the 3/8-in.-thick fuselage. Things to note are the extremely large motor mounts (3/4 × 3/8 in.) with the bottom mount extending back beyond the wing and giving the fuselage extra strength. To avoid having the tail break off during hard landings, Larry puts two spruce spars in the fuselage: one directly under the wing (which you can see), and one right over the lower hardwood mount which runs all the way on either side of the elevator mount. Larry then lightens the hard wood by drilling trees so that the strength is maintained, but the additional weight is removed. You can also note a tank-mounting recess right below the wing so that the tank can be securely attached to the hardwood mount (which is recessed under the balsa top sheeting).
AMA Nats: CL Racing
THE FINEST flying surface I've ever seen for Control Line models. That's my opinion of the site of the 1988 Tidewater Nats. The texture and flatness of the area which was used for CL Racing as well as Stunt was not from antiquity; instead, it was a tabletop-smooth, active runway. With the extreme drought in the Midwest area this summer, I had visions of the skies finally opening up and raining for the entire Nats week. My fears were unjustified, in that the only serious rain occurred on the interstate as we approached the Chesapeake, VA area. During the week of Racing competition, there were a few threatening thunderstorms, but they did not interrupt the Racing schedule. Early morning temperatures were in the low eighties, and from noon on, the low nineties were the norm.
Control Line: Racing
HALON fire extinguishers: I have received several letters requesting information on the Halon-filled fire extinguishers which are being used very successfully to put out alcohol fires in the pits-fires which plague almost all CL Racing events, but most notably in Slow Rat and Sport Race. I am enclosing a couple of photos of one Halon unit which is about 6 in. high and 2 in. thick and has a plastic hook which can be easily attached to a modeler's belt. There are no pins to pull out or handles to grab when you need to use it. You merely press the top button to activate it. The button is protected by a plastic housing such that inadvertent discharge of the unit is virtually impossible. The unit shown was one of several used at the 1988 Tidewater Nats.
