Control Line: Combat
SOME MONTHS BACK, I gave you some preliminary data on the Fox Mark 7 Combat Special, but I did not include any photographs. This month you'll get a good look at its outward appearance, as well as its internal organs. The crankshaft is very robust and does not appear to have any weaknesses-I haven't heard of anyone breaking one. Those horrible Phillips-head screws are gone from the cylinder-head clamp, but they can still be found holding on the backplate. The crankcase is all-new; it's not merely a retooled version of the Mark 6. The mounting lugs are thicker, and they don't look like they will break in a hard ground check. The engine still has the standard all-steel crankshaft stud, prop washer, and nut; these can easily be replaced with a titanium bolt and a lightweight aluminum washer to save lots of weight.
Control Line: Combat
FROM TIME TO TIME a manufacturer develops a product for a very specialized group of users/consumers. Willy Wiley (Wiley's Custom Engines, 15605 Wright Brothers Lane, Addison TX 75244; Tel.: [214] 245-6548, fax: [214] 702-9210) has entered into the model engine manufacturing business with some very high performance .36 engines. A .36 is primarily for Slow and AMA Fast Combat-a rather small market, if you were to compare it to RC. Combat fliers ask a lot of an engine: one-flip starts; hot restarts; high horsepower, strength; light weight; longevity; and the ability to digest dirt without harming its internal organs. It also has to be cheap or at least reasonable.
Control Line: Combat
THE 1995 COMBAT SEASON is off and running. The first major contest of the season is the Top Gun Fast Combat tournament in Tucson AZ. This year it was the weekend of March 18-19, a bit later than usual. I wasn't able to attend due to some previous commitments, but I've spoken to Chuck Rudner, Don Repp, and Pat Willcox about the contest. There were some 40 entries from all over the United States. This year the Whittier Narrows Regulars from Southern California fielded a large contingent and did quite well. The ever-dangerous Alan De Veuve of San Diego CA managed to win another big contest. His equipment is always top-of-the-line, and with his quick reflexes his flying ability is outstanding.
Control Line: Combat
IN 1995 THE UNITED STATES Control Line Combat Team Trials were held in Detroit, Michigan at the famous Rouge River Park. For years I had heard stories about this site, and how it was where the Detroit Combat Team was founded. My good friend and flying partner Chuck Rudner got his start there, as did Ron Colombo, Steve Kott, Mark Daniels, Edwin Brzys, Ron Marchioni, Paul Smith, Ray Kryza, Louis Scavone, and many others. I suppose you could call it an historic Combat site. The United States Team Trials are really the only time Combat pilots from across the country come together to fly in a true FAI Combat contest. Yes, the event is offered at the AMA National Championships, but the Team Trials always has a greater number of entrants. This year there were 32 entries.
Control Line: Combat
ONCE EVERY two years, we US Combat Pilots get semi-serious about FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) Combat (also known as F2D) because there is usually a paid overseas trip on the line, and more importantly, the right to represent the US in the Control Line World Championships. It's an honor and a very large responsibility; one does not want to seem unprepared and noncompetitive. The reputation of US Combat pilots, as seen by the world at large, is in the hands of the three of four who are chosen at the team trials. For the World Championships, you used to be able to spend countless hours building models, then test-flying them so that they would be just right. Even more time was spent on the engine upgrades and tuneups. The early Fox .15s used in the 1970s could be considered assembled kits that needed to be disassembled, massaged, carefully fitted, measured (blueprinted), reassembled with many new components, then tested for performance. Some of the engines worked really well and others were less than satisfactory.
