Control Line: Combat
CONTROL LINE COMBAT is one of the most exciting events to watch. Its fast-and-furious action draws the modeler and nonmodeler to the edge of the circle for a closer look. Because of the fast pace, some of the action may be missed, but many people have attempted to capture the competition with video or still cameras. I have shot hundreds of rolls of film trying to catch the models as they gyrate across the sky, but the results have not been very good; a large percentage of the photos have been filed in the trash can. Many people who have tried to tape Combat with video cameras have had mixed results. A problem is that you need to back away from the action in order to capture the models flying the entire hemisphere above the competition circle. An easier task is to film the pilots going through their motions in the center of the circle, which is entertaining and educational-body positioning and repositioning are the critical areas to study.
Control Line: Combat
I have been doing a bit of Internet browsing, looking for Web pages related to Control Line (CL) models. It is fascinating to see information about the hobby come up on the little MacintoshTM laptop that I am using. I can see how this method of communication has the potential to be the normal way of doing business. Timely information about contests and events can be shared very quickly - which is good, since many tend to wait until the last minute to get contest notices out to potential contestants. The listings in Model Aviation help tremendously when planning vacations around contests, or just to see what is happening around the country. The problem with the "Contest Calendar" is that if a club or individual decides to host a competition the following month, there is not enough lead time to get the information published in the magazine.
Control Line: Combat
IN MY LAST column I talked about the Magnum .36 that I had set up for 80 mph Combat. My first exposure to this engine was at a local 80 mph contest where some of the guys from Las Vegas (Roy Heppenstall and company) came armed with them on their models. (Roy made a big splash at the 1997 British Nationals by winning one of the Combat events.) I saw an advertisement in several magazines and catalogs that listed Magnum .36 RC engines for $49.95; I am always on the lookout for a bargain, so I could not pass it up. I ordered three engines, which arrived promptly at my door. They looked very well made, with a fine finish on the case, and all of the machining looked high-quality. These are ABC-type engines with the crankshaft riding on two ball bearings. They seemed to have a bit of weight to them, and seemed to be good candidates for a weight-reduction plan.
Control Line: Combat
The opening of the Combat season has traditionally been in March in Tucson, Arizona with the Top Gun Triple Elimination Fast Combat Contest. This year 44 competitors from across the US tried their hand at winning the $1,000 top prize; other contests may take place before the Top Gun event, but it's the first of the big-money contests. In some parts of the country, pilots spend all of their time building during the winter and are anxious to test new projects and designs in the contest arena. The Arizona event provides a good opportunity to test models and engines under fire.
Control Line: Combat
THE 1997 COMBAT season is off and running; the Top Gun contest in Tucson, Arizona signaled the traditional start of the season. Some of the northern states' competitors who were still in the middle of cold spells or fighting off floods liked the opportunity to get to a warmer climate in early March and shake off cobwebs, or try a new line of Combat equipment. This was also a time to renew friendships and/or rivalries with fellow pilots. As I look back at all of the friends I have made since I began flying competitively in 1964, I realize that these relationships mean more to me than winning does. Being around people I like and doing what I love to do is therapeutic and stress-relieving. (Not to say that there is no adrenaline flowing during the countdown to the start of the match or during competition.) Some fliers are able to forget the everyday cares of jobs and home life when they're on the Combat field.
