CL Combat
Rich von Lopez
8334 Colegio Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90045
Many of the regular competitors in the Southern California area are getting ready for another round of the famous Bladder Grabber contest in Snohomish, Washington. Many pilots have been testing new fuel shutoff devices and unwarping their contest fleet. Unwarping can take several tries before the model is straight and true, so it’s best done when you have extra time on your hands.
For many years Chuck Rudner has brought his portable gasoline-powered generator so there will be electrical power for heating irons and hot-air guns. Having electrical power at the flying field beats the heck out of running back to the workshop to try to straighten a model.
It is possible to bend a foam model to take out a warp, but it is much better to heat the covering while bending the model at the same time. Ready-to-Fly (RTF) models often require minor adjustments so they will fly straight and respond when you give them the appropriate control. I do not like surprises, especially when a model goes flying across the circle because it is warped.
The unwarping process often takes several tries before it is completed. Most pilots around here use only a small amount of fuel the first time they fly a model to avoid an extended flight with a warped aircraft.
I start by flying the model straight and level at a height of eight to ten feet. I look very carefully at the airplane, trying to notice if it is flying wing-high or wing-low. Wing-high means you can see the top of the inboard and outboard wing. Wing-low means you can see the bottom of the inboard and outboard wing panels. Ideally, you want to see only the profile of the model when looking at it from the inboard tip.
After that, I fly the model inverted and try to notice if it is flying wing-high or wing-low. If the model was warped right-side up, it should be warped inverted as well. If the model was wing-high in level flight, it should be wing-low in inverted flight.
To correct a warp, first sight along the trailing edge of the model from directly behind the stabilator. Sometimes you will see an obvious warp in the inboard or outboard panels. Sometimes I place the model, engine facing down, between my feet with the leading edge resting on my feet and the wing panels supported by my shins. This allows me to view the model from the rear. If the model was flying wing-high, chances are the inboard panel is bent slightly up or the outboard wing is bent slightly down. If the model was flying wing-low, the inboard panel is probably bent slightly down and/or the outboard wing is bent slightly up.
It is imperative that you fly the model straight and level and inverted since there can be another cause of a model flying wing-high or wing-low: tip weight. Not enough tip weight will cause a model to fly wing-high in both level and inverted flight. Too much tip weight will cause a wing-low condition in both modes. Many RTF models could stand a bit more tip weight. A model that is slightly wing-high in both directions does not bother me. Wind conditions may require additional weight taped to the outboard wing. Top-of-the-line European pilots can be seen with an assortment of coins they use to trim models depending on the wind conditions. Experiment with various amounts of weight to see how a model will react, and take good notes on how each model reacted with each amount of weight.
Contests and Results
The Coyote Valley Bellcrankers of Morgan Hill, California, held a triple-elimination 80 mph contest in late April that drew pilots from as far away as Washington and Texas, in addition to all the Northern and Southern California regulars. Results:
- Jeff Rein
- Greg Hill
- Pat Willcox
- Ken Burdick
This event is growing in popularity across the country, probably because pilots can use whatever equipment they like as long as it does not go faster than 80 mph. We have seen everything from .15 to .36 engines used at this contest, along with every type of model. This is an entry-level event of the future, and it’s the event that will keep Combat alive and well. You may want to try it in your area as a club contest.
We had a couple of local contests at Whittier Narrows in South El Monte, California, in the past few months. The 80 mph contest in May, part of the Knights of the Round Circle, had 11 entrants and was flown as a triple-elimination event. Greg Hill of San Diego was able to get the upper hand and finish on top, earning a beautiful trophy and enough cash to buy his pit crew a McDonald’s dinner. Mike Willcox, who resides in Southern California at the palatial Athens estate rent-free as long as he builds models for the landlord, finished second. Chris Jensen, no longer the young kid you feel obligated to give a break, finished third. I finished fourth.
A couple of guys are trying to slow their crankcases by rotating the cylinder liner in the crankcase. Pete Athans started this trend and seems to have gotten it to work. He is using an old and tired Fox for this experiment. Everyone used a fuel shutoff as per current rules and in the interest of safety.
Safety and Facilities
The Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department recently spent about $28,000 to build a chain-link cover over some 200 yards of bike path. The bike path is next to the Radio Control field runway and just northeast of the Control Line (CL) areas. This was done to protect bikers from a possible stray model. I am very happy to see the county invest money to help ensure modelers have a place to fly.
MACA and Top Twenty
A long time ago an organization was formed called the Miniature Aircraft Combat Association (MACA) to promote CL Combat. Howard Rush, Neal White, Tom Southern, Gary Frost, and William Allen were part of the early MACA administration.
One of the earliest programs MACA promoted was the Top Ten Combat pilots in the country. This has since changed to the MACA Top Twenty. A points system is used to determine which Combat pilots have consistently placed high in many contests. The 2001 MACA Top Twenty:
- Mike Willcox
- Don Cranfill
- Lee Liddle
- Roy Krupa
- Louis Lopez
- Mitch Cleveland
- Bob Mears
- George Cleveland
- Roy Glenn
- Chuck Rudner
- Larry Driskill
- Don Jensen
- Jeff Rein
- Phil Cartier
- Neil Simpson
- Pat Willcox
- Tom Fluker
- Henry Nelson
- Wayne McDaniels
- Rich Tupper
Congratulations to these outstanding pilots.
I received an email from old friend Paul Vallins regarding a $1,000 diesel Combat contest he sponsored in the state of Washington. Diesel Combat has a growing following in the Pacific Northwest and in Canada. I met Paul in 1982 when he, along with Mick Herrer, organized the British Combat International at Ditchley’s Manor in England. Paul moved to the “colonies” in search of his fortune some time ago. I am glad to see he has returned to the world of Combat. Perhaps he will teach his twins the art of building and flying models.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
