Four-Star 40 Pylon Racing
By Walt Wilson
SINCE the Spirits of St. Louis RC Flying Club, Inc. was formed in 1965, it has created or presented a number of innovative racing events, several of which are unique to our club. We started with .15-powered "Top Dawg" racing in the 1970s, followed by "Spirit of St. Louis" Quarter Midget racing.
In the latter event, contestants used the Spirit of St. Louis model featured in the May 1972 R/C Modeler magazine. Plans for the model—coded PL-491, cat. 2—are still available from the R/C Modeler Plans Service. The event was quickly expanded to include all-out Quarter Midgets and Quickie 500 racing.
In 1979, a group of Spirits CDs conceived and developed rules for the first warbirds unlimited scale pylon races. Clubs throughout the country are using variations of those rules to this day.
In the early 1980s, the Spirits developed "Junk Stick" racing, using 40-size Balsa USA Swizzle Sticks powered by .25 engines. The purpose was to have a fun event in which anyone could be competitive. "Run Whatcha Brung" racing was implemented along the way. The aircraft were usually Quickie models with piped K&B 7.5cc engines or equivalent types. As in most types of club racing, contestants who did their homework and spent enough money won most of the time, and the rest soon found other interests.
In the early 1990s, Don Ware — who was president of the Spirits at the time — and a group of members developed a set of rules for racing the newly introduced Sig Four-Star 40 model. It was to be an entry-level event in which the airplanes were as equal as possible.
The Four-Star 40 was selected because it's easy to build and flies like an advanced trainer. The design offers easy takeoffs and gentle landings. The SuperTigre GS-40 was chosen to be the standard engine because it's inexpensive, breaks in quickly, and is a good-performing ball-bearing power plant.
Rules and Equipment
- Engines: Standard SuperTigre GS-40 chosen as the required engine. Stock SuperTigre mufflers must be used; modifying engines and mufflers is prohibited.
- Airframe: Airplanes are to be built according to the plans; the only deviation allowed is lowering the engine 1/4 inch for better fuel draw through the turns.
- Wheels: Wheel size is standard; wheel pants are not allowed.
- Propellers: Master Airscrew or APC 10 x 6 or 10 x 7 propellers are supplied and changed between heats to ensure no advantage from propeller modifications.
- Fuel: A 15% fuel mixture is to be used. In some instances, the club supplies the fuel to assure uniformity.
- Anti-cheating measures:
- An extra point is awarded if the engine is still running after landing.
- Engine rpm on the ground may not exceed 15,000; rpm checks are made at random.
Some racers have tried tweaking engines illegally, but such engines usually won't idle reliably. The post-landing engine-running point and random rpm checks help deter cheating without requiring constant inspections.
Racing and Course
Four-Star 40 racing is intended to be fun while emphasizing flying skill. Having the engine tuned properly for maximum rpm in the air without going lean in the turns is critical. When all airplanes conform to the rules, the difference between winning and losing is flying a tight course without cutting pylons. Engines will occasionally have a bad run, but piloting usually determines the outcome.
A 600-foot, two-pylon course was used initially because it was safer and required fewer workers than the old three-pylon type. The course has since been expanded to the standard 660 feet. Flying starts are always used.
Popularity and Adoption
The event caught on immediately and, with development and expansion of the rules, is still being contested today. Four-Star 40 racing has become the most popular pylon-racing event in the area.
Requests for rules have been received from across the country. Some clubs have chosen to use other types of engines, but most use the Spirits' rules to the letter. Rules are available on the Spirits' website: http://spiritsofstl.com — click on "Contest Rules" and select the "Four-Star 40 Racing Rules."
The Four-Star 40 ARF may bring even more competitors into the sport, but one limitation is that it's available in only two color schemes: red and yellow. This can be solved by adding other colored panels or trim to the wings.
This event has stirred much new interest in racing for the Spirits and various clubs in the Saint Louis metro area. It might do the same for other clubs.
Walt Wilson 3000 Persimmon Dr. Saint Charles, MO 63301
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
