CONTROL LINE NAVY CARRIER
Dick Perry 7005 Del Oso Court NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109-2930
May updates
May was a good month for keeping in touch with other Carrier modelers around the country — making plans for the Sig contest, Celebration of Eagles, the Nats, and catching up on spring activities.
I heard from Bill Bischoff that the engines manufactured by Willy Wiley are no longer in production. The Dallas contingent had been successfully using them, with left-hand crankshafts, for the last few years. There is a possibility of the design being produced again by another individual; I’ll bring you up to date as soon as I get more information.
Engine news
Eric Conley reports good results, confirmed by observers at the Roland Baltes Memorial contest in California last spring, with the Nelson engine fitted with a left-hand crankshaft. Having the engine run "backwards" is a significant aid during slow flight, according to all those who have tried it. I might even have to take the plunge myself one of these days.
Charles Reeves and MO designs
I had an interesting conversation with Charles Reeves. Charles was the designer of the Bell Airabonita, which appeared in the December 1967 issue of Model Airplane News. He had been to Florida to visit Don Gerber, who had moved there for retirement. Don had been building MO-1s since the 1960s. It was his model, published in the August 1969 American Aircraft Modeler, that started the enduring trend toward that particular model in all of its current forms.
Charles also published a model for the Profile Carrier event, called the "MO-Bipe." It used the same quarter-sheet balsa wings as his original MO-1, but in a biplane configuration to allow adequate strength in a model with a 300-square-inch wing area.
The main point of Charles' call was to discuss equipment. He had not flown Carrier for quite a while, having given it up when the current style of slow flight came into vogue. While he was in Florida he flew one of Don's models and got a few pointers on model trim and flying technique for low-speed flight. He loved it, and he wants to get back into the event. I hope we'll see him at the Nationals.
Garden State Circle Burners
In my last column I wrote of the Garden State Circle Burners' efforts to increase Carrier competition in New Jersey. It appears they have been successful. There were 14 Carrier contestants in their April 28 contest, including four newcomers to the event.
The Garden State Circle Burners are an AMA-chartered control line club that has been around for many years. They have earned the designation as a Leader Club from the AMA and have an outstanding newsletter. Anyone wishing to subscribe may do so by sending $10 to their editor, Carl Holzwarth, Box 203, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927.
Roland Baltes Memorial
This year's Roland Baltes Memorial contest at Whittier Narrows included both Carrier and Scale events. Scale participation was better than Carrier, but a few of the "old-timers" from the '70s and '80s who had not been flying for a few years did make it out, in addition to some of the more recent additions to our Carrier ranks. The flying was low-key, with the contestants concentrating on enjoying the good weather and the good company, which included Roland's widow, Ursula.
Nostalgia Carrier at the Nats
I've had inquiries from a few modelers concerning rules for Nostalgia Carrier events. I'd like to hear from anyone who would be interested in participating in a Nostalgia event as one of the unofficial Carrier events flown on Saturday at the 1997 Nats. The event would feature the "old" scoring system and would probably include a small bonus for older-style engines and models kitted or published prior to 1976. If you like the idea, drop me a line or send me an E-mail at 713701477@compuserve.com.
Call for photos and projects
I'm still hoping for some photographs and information on your current projects to share with our readers — especially any multi-engine projects for the new bonus.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
