CONTROL LINE COMBAT
Rich von Lopez
8334 Colegio Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Here it is—early fall as I write this column—and the Combat season is winding down. It may already be finished for some of you in the northern states. In Southern California we fly throughout the year and seldom take more than two weeks off at a time.
Bladder Grabber (Snohomish, WA)
This past summer I attended the Bladder Grabber triple-elimination Fast Combat contest in Snohomish, Washington. This is a first-class meet with pilots from across the country, and the 1998 version was no exception. There was excellent flying, and the pace of the contest was quite fast.
Bob Carver has been a faithful sponsor for more than 20 years, and as the owner of the Sunfire Corporation he was able to sweeten the pot with some outstanding high-end stereo components. At the traditional breakfast registration meeting, the fliers presented Bob with a beautiful plaque for his patronage of the hobby.
Top finishers:
- 1st: George Cleveland (with a cagey performance and professional pit crew)
- 2nd: "Cowboy" Roy Heppenstal (his best run ever in Fast Combat)
- 3rd: "Grandpa" John Salvin
- 4th: Mitchell Cleveland
- 5th: Rich von Lopez
The Pacific Northwest seems loaded with creative people. A few notable items:
- Jeff Rein built a 48-inch 1/2A model powered by two .049 engines fed through a common bladder with a T fitting. Not the fastest, but an eye-catcher with a beautiful sound.
- Patrick Moreland donated his time judging all weekend and created a catapult self-launcher for Class A Diesel Combat models—an elaborate contraption that actually works.
- Mel Lyne and several Canadians flew Diesel-powered models during lunch and after the contest. This slow-motion flying gives even new pilots time to correct mistakes, though it leaves clothing with a strong aroma of diesel fuel.
Combat pilots who have retired from flying still come to spectate. Names mentioned include "Dirty" Dan Rutherford, Gary Stevens, and Ron Scoones (formerly of the Jive Combat Team). Only Howard Rush and Phil Granderson seem to still enjoy wiggling the handle. The contest is more than flying; it’s a time to renew friendships. Make plans now for the 1999 Bladder Grabber, usually the last weekend in June.
Safety reminder from Whittier Narrows
There was a serious accident that prevented John Salvin from flying at least one contest. While test-flying, a model slipped and struck him in the face, causing significant injury to his nose. He competed on Saturday but was in pain. This is a wake-up call: keep a healthy respect for the equipment and take precautions to prevent accidents. For example, avoid needling an engine from the front—walk around to the rear of the model and tune it from there.
World Championships (F2D)
The World Championships have come and gone. Top individual finishers:
- 1st: Alexei Zhelezko (Ukraine)
- 2nd: Sergei Beliaev (Russia)
- 3rd: Igor Milenin (Ukraine)
Best U.S. finishes:
- Richard Stubblefield: 4 wins, 2 losses — tied for 8th place
- Ron Marchioni: 2 wins, 2 losses — tied for 17th
- Mark Rudner: 2 wins, 2 losses — tied for 17th (also 4th in Junior category)
- Mike Willcox: 0-2
Junior champion: Alexandr Gusev (Russia)
Team standings:
- 1st: Ukraine
- 2nd: Russia
- 3rd: Belarus
- 4th: Czech Republic
- 5th: United States
Reports indicated awful weather for much of the competition—cold, rainy, and windy. Accommodations at the Prolisok Hotel had been upgraded since the 1988 World Championships. Not much was new in equipment—no breakthrough engines or designs. Mark Rudner had bad luck when a Zorro engine failed (piston skirt broke off) toward the end of a match he was leading. Results suggest former USSR countries currently have an edge; U.S. fliers will need to work harder to keep pace.
Riverside Fast Combat
Bill Maywald has worked hard to start a Fast Combat contest in Riverside, California. He secured American Youth Soccer Organization fields: a huge area with some 20 well-kept soccer fields. Though Riverside can be very hot in August, there is a covered picnic area contestants used to work on models and rest between matches. About a dozen entries came from California and Arizona.
Winners:
- 1st: Ron Cash
- 2nd: Steve Stewart
- 3rd: Roy Heppenstal
Bill plans to host this contest every other year, alternating with the soon-to-be-revived Money Nats now that Whittier Narrows is being watered regularly.
Engines and equipment
I got some Cyclon PC2 FAI .15 engines to experiment with. First impressions: they are well made, run fast, and appear to be of exceptional quality. After seven runs on one engine, it was running in the mid- to high-18-second range for eight laps. Head button settings will need to be in the .010–.012" range.
You can find information about Cyclon, Zorro, and Redko engines on Goran Olson’s web page.
FAI Combat—an invitation
If you have never flown FAI Combat models, you don’t know what you’re missing. They’re readily available and useful even for sport flying. A good FAI model will sharpen your reflexes and is just plain fun.
Mejzlik Modellbau
Tomas Mejzlik provides quality products at affordable prices. Contact:
- Mejzlik Modellbau, Jurovskova 19, 638 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Tel./Fax: 01142-5-529400
Write or call for a catalog.
Miniature Aircraft Combat Association (MACA)
MACA celebrated its 25th year in 1998—an impressive run for a volunteer organization. Membership is worthwhile: $15 annual dues provide tips, leads, and support for Combat events. MACA is the official specialty organization to the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and provides input on Combat issues.
To join or renew:
- Send checks to MACA, attn.: Gene Berry, 4610 89th St., Lubbock, TX 79424
Please consider joining MACA and bringing in a new member. There are many dormant Combat pilots and sport fliers who could be encouraged to try Combat. Teach a friend or family member to build and fly—this will help keep interest high and perpetuate the hobby.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
