Control Line: Navy Carrier
ONE advantage of life in the Air Force is that one gets to do a lot of traveling. This spring, I was able to spend two very enjoyable weekends visiting and flying Carrier in Albuquerque with Roger Edwards, chairman of the AMA's Navy Carrier Advisory Committee, and in Los Angeles with Ron Duly, editor of the Hi-Low-Landing Carrier newsletter. Control Line activity is strong in Albuquerque with attendance at Sunday flying sessions better than I have seen at some contests. The very presence of the Thunderbirds at their flying field each Sunday is an invitation to people to stop and find out what's happening. By being visible, they are inviting others with CL interests to make themselves known and join in the fun. Activity breeds interest and more activity. We could do well to follow the Thunderbirds' example. Carrier has a lot of spectator interest because of our throttles and our landings and because most of our models are models of real aircraft. Don't hide your event, share it. Be visible (practice never hurts, anyway); be helpful and interested when people ask questions; and Carrier, being the great event that it is, can't help but grow.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
THE subject this month is new Carrier fliers, but the specific topics are rather different from one another. I'm going to start a series to cover some of the more basic aspects of our events, trying to pass on some hints to help the newcomer become more familiar with those aspects of building and flying that make Navy Carrier unique among control-line events. This month's topic is the three-line control system. Before I get into that, however, I'd like to spend a few paragraphs discussing the Profile Carrier engine rules currently being considered by the CLCB. The Profile Carrier event was originated as a stepping-stone type of event that would provide an easier transition to Carrier flying than the scale Carrier event. The major emphasis was on availability of equipment, with low relative cost also an important factor. Control systems were limited so that the commercial three-line system was the best to use. Model specifications were written to make use of the wide variety of 35-sized profile kits on the market. The engine rules were set up around engines that were relatively inexpensive and that could be found on almost any dealer's shelf.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
I PROMISED that I would write about throttles this month. I have had quite a few ideas to try out, but haven't yet had a chance to test them all. My goal has been to try to find a variety of throttle schemes that are simple to operate and readily available through hobby shops. The simplest throttle is the suction system using a standard RC carburetor. There is a wide variety of RC 40 and 60 engines available, and the latter designs are quite powerful. The only disadvantage to using a suction system is that engine power will be somewhat lower than that of a pressurized system with a wide-open intake. The greatest power difference is seen when using a suction carburetor that was designed for the size engine that you are using. This is because most carburetors are designed to provide consistent performance over a wide range of conditions. These carbs have small throat areas so that fuel draw will be relatively high. Most engines can run quite successfully on much larger carburetors.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
THE last few months have been rather enjoyable for me as traveling to the NATS and attending contests in DeKalb, Illinois, and Dayton, Ohio, gave me a chance to renew some old friendships and start new ones. There never seems to be as much time as we'd like, however, to sit around and talk Carrier. There was some discussion around DeKalb about a wintertime gathering of Carrier fliers to talk about last summer's flying and next year's models, and to keep warm thoughts of Carrier flying while the cold winter winds blow. I hope it works out. It sounds like a good time; I wish I were going to be around to enjoy it. I'll be back in the Southwest this winter after being away for over five years. I'll be moving around a lot, but will still receive my mail at my Dayton, Ohio, address; so you'll have no trouble sending me photos of your latest project or a description of your newest idea.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
ONE of the more enjoyable aspects of our specialty, for me, is looking for suitable Carrier subjects to model. I spend a good deal of time browsing through libraries seeking out books and magazines in which I might discover some forgotten carrier aircraft. Good references are essential for providing proof-of-scale drawings or proof that a particular aircraft qualifies for the Navy Carrier event. These are some books specializing in naval aircraft, which I have found very useful. The first has been particularly good for both drawings and background. United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911, Gordon Swanborough & Peter Bowers, Funk & Wagnalls, New York, 1968.
