Control Line: Navy Carrier
Richard Perry
I had the advantage this spring of spending two very enjoyable weekends visiting and flying Carrier: one in Albuquerque with Roger Edwards, chairman of the AMA's Navy Carrier Advisory Committee, and one in Los Angeles with Ron Duly, editor of the Hi-Low-Landing Carrier newsletter.
Visibility and Growing Interest
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 invites people to stop and find out what's happening. By being visible they encourage 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 draws a lot of spectator interest because of our throttles and landings and because most of our models are models of real aircraft. Don't hide your event—share it. Be visible (practice never hurts); be helpful and interested when people ask questions; and Carrier, being the great event that it is, will grow.
Valley Circle Burners Contest (Los Angeles area)
The Valley Circle Burners' Carrier contest was a welcome opportunity to renew friendships from the Riverside Nats. It was a very enjoyable, low-pressure contest with some respectable scores. Profile fliers needed scores over 240 to take a trophy, while 330 was needed in Classes I and II.
CLCB Rules and Voting
The CLCB has completed voting on the interim ballot for the 1980–81 rules proposals; the results should be available in the Competition Newsletter section of MA by this issue. The major issues to be resolved this cycle include:
- Engine rules for Profile
- Moveable leadouts
- Clarification of arrested-landing definitions
- Scale bonus points for Profile
The CLCB will be voting on these rules around September 1. If you care about the event, let your CLCB representative know how you feel. On Carrier issues I'm definitely in favor of scale-like Profile models.
Profile and Non-scale Models — Bill Reynolds' Tuborg II
While I favor scale-like Profile models, I also give equal time to worthy non-scale designs. One such model is Bill Reynolds' Tuborg II. Bill is a top Profile flier in Dayton's Buzzin' Buzzards club.
Tuborg II highlights:
- Uses flaps and ailerons
- 310 sq. in. wing with fixed leadouts
- Smaller stab but with a long moment arm, adequate for a well-balanced model
- Rectangular wing planform and minimal fuselage allow simplified, lightweight construction
- Uses the Supertigre ST 35 engine, a common Profile Carrier powerplant
Rectangular wings and light construction can offer improved performance over heavier, scale-like Profiles.
Converting Sport CL Kits to Profile Models
When converting sport CL kits to scale-like Profile models, fuselage, tail, and wing tips often must be modified to achieve the proper wing shape to match the prototype. Accurately scaled outlines are desirable but require effort and sometimes don't look right because of Profile models' flat fuselages.
Roger Edwards suggests sketching outlines without worrying about exact dimensions, then adjusting the drawing until it "looks right." This method—part artistic, part technical—is easy and still provides the realism desired.
Obscure Prototype: Handley Page HPS-1
This month’s obscure carrier prototype is the Handley Page HPS-1. The U.S. Navy HPS-1, delivered in 1923, was a prototype shipboard fighter. Its advanced design featured plywood wings and fuselage with considerable attention to streamlining—a clean monoplane unusual in an era of externally braced fabric-covered biplanes. It could reach 145 mph on 230 hp. Its significant feature was a wing with full-span flaps and leading-edge slats, allowing a landing speed of 44 mph. Despite these design features, the Navy canceled its order after receiving the first aircraft; no others were built.
Richard L. Perry 5016 Angelita Ave. Dayton, OH 45424
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
