FREE FLIGHT DURATION
Harry Murphy, 3824 Oakwood Boulevard, Anderson, IN 46011
'93 World Champs The FAI World Champs of October 4-10, 1993 are now in the record books, with Randy Archer the lone medal-winner for the US. Randy repeated as the F1C World Champion, and our congratulations are extended for this feat.
The word filtering back is that it was a great WC, with outstanding competition throughout. The planning and execution of a competition of this magnitude is no small undertaking. A "well done" is extended to all those volunteers who served in the trenches. The WC relocated to Hungary in 1995, but if I heard correctly, the US may play host again in 1999.
Glow Plug Abuse
Bob Klipp relayed this interesting bit of information (via his Turbulator newsletter) regarding the life and times of the glow plug, as well as possible causes for sudden failures. Lewis Jordan's article advises:
Although the life of a glow plug is unpredictable, you should expect a dozen or more flights out of one. If you have an engine that seems to eat plugs, it's probably suffering from one of the following causes:
- Overheating: The plug coil will melt if it gets too hot. Reasons for this vary. Running your engine at high rpm and too lean a setting with the plug heater still attached can melt the coil. Many power panels surge when first switched on, allowing over-voltage to your plug. Try not to run your engine too lean at high RPM with the plug heater attached. Dial in a lower voltage on your power panel before attaching the heater to your plug.
- Vibration: If the engine is not rigidly mounted, the plug coil is shaken side-to-side with tremendous G forces. This fatigues the coil until it breaks. The only solution is to increase the rigidity of your engine and engine mount.
- Shock wave: As an engine gets older, the piston liner's top flange works its way down into the case and lowers the head with it. When the piston clearance gets down to about .010", the air is forced out of the squish-band area at supersonic velocity. The resulting shock wave breaks the plug's coil. The cure here would be to raise the head with another gasket. A less-common reason plugs sometimes fail is cranking your engine when it's flooded; this sprays raw fuel onto the coil, forcing it to the side of the plug's case, where it shorts out.
Glow plugs have 1/2-32 threads. The "short" plugs have 5/32" long threads and are normally used for .15-size and smaller engines. "Long" plugs have about 7/32" thread length.
Heat retention qualities of a plug are important. When the engine is throttled back, the plug will cool off. If it cools off too much, the engine will quit when you throttle back up. Different plugs have different heat ranges for various engines. Your best bet in choosing the right heat range plug for a particular engine is to ask the experts at your hobby shop.
Texas, Lewis—but not for miles of here! Besides, most factory specification sheets which accompany new engines will list proper glow plug recommendations. Trial-and-error should eventually get you to a satisfactory plug life expectancy, so long as you make constructive corrections as to fuels, head shims, etc., along the way.
As Lewis explains, the plug filament takes a beating under normal operating conditions; therefore you are surely accelerating its demise if you incorporate a flood-off engine cutoff system (where a sudden shot of raw fuel goes into the cylinder to choke off ignition and stop the engine). A pinch-off fuel cutoff would seem to offer a lesser hardship on your glow plugs and improve their longevity. At any rate, if "glow plug abuse" is apparent in any of your applications, you may want to take a hint from some of the above.
Engine man Bo Clinton advises that your glow plug need not be completely burned out to be troublesome, especially for the Glo-Bee plug types. Bo says: "If the filament becomes dull or gray-like in color and absent of its original shiny luster, then definitely replace the plug with a new one if your engine begins to be difficult to start, won't keep a needle valve setting, or fails to come up to speed or maintain its top rpm level."
FF Potpourri
Here are a handful of short notices that should see print. A number of individuals or small groups of free fighters reside in locales which may be a bit isolated from normal communication loops, so we hope these "info tidbits" help.
Texas Timers
Hank Nystrom recently purchased the Texas Timer business originated by the late Jim Summersett. Hank states the entire product line shall be kept intact and that orders can be accepted immediately. Hank does admit to experimenting with additional specialty types, but the only official difference, at this writing, is the mailing address.
Some Texas Timer products have been reviewed previously in this column, but you might wish to send a SASE to Hank for a current product and price listing. Address: 3317 Pine Timbers Dr., Johnson City, TN 37604. Tel.: (615) 282-6423.
Hank says the name will not change, even though the business is now in Tennessee. What he didn't say was that he is a displaced Texan himself. You ought to see him eat those jalapeño peppers by the handful!
McGillivray Tapes
David Rosenburg, president of the Western New York Free Flight Society, advises that his club is selling an audio tape of a question-and-answer session with noted Canadian free flight master Jack McGillivray.
The tape originated at a meeting where Jack was the guest speaker, and subjects covered every conceivable phase of modeling—both indoor and outdoor. The tape sells for $8. Address: 208 Gate House Trail, Henrietta, NY 14467. Tel.: (716) 359-2032.
Personally, I saw Jack flying a folding-wing 1/2A gassie a number of years ago at Three Rivers, Michigan, and more recently doing Rubber Flying Scale at FAC affairs. Jack is one of the fine gentlemen in this hobby, as well as a great innovator of modeling techniques.
Thornburg Book
Do You Speak Model Airplane?…the story of Aeromodelling in America is a great read. The author, David A. Thornburg, covers the spectrum of modeling description from the days of the twin pusher to present-day domination of RC. The scope of coverage between these two far-flung goalposts arouses the reader's interest and makes the book difficult to put down.
Thornburg plugs many of the legendary contributors into their correct slots in the progression of modeling history, and discusses the effects on the hobby by external influences (such as the Lindbergh flight, the Depression, WWII, and the postwar rebirth). The prewar Nationals and other significant meets, the control-line days of Jim Walker, and the many Navy Nats are also reviewed in detail.
It's a must for your modeling library. I bought mine at a MECCA Collector, but copies are available from numerous sources including many hobby shops. A sure bet is Pony X Press, 5 Monticello Dr., Albuquerque, NM 87123. Tel.: (505) 299-8749. Price: $19.95 postpaid.
Contest Calendar
The dates for the big 1994 national competitions are being firmed up as this column is submitted. The National Free Flight Society (NFFS) has posted their separate indoor and outdoor affairs:
- US Indoor Champs (USIC): June 2-5, Johnson City, Tennessee.
- US Outdoor Champs (USOC): July 5-9, Muncie, Indiana. USOC will also stage a full card of Nostalgia Gas events.
The AMA is planning to combine the Nats once again at Lubbock, Texas, July 16-24. SAM Champs are scheduled for September 11-16 at the AMA site in Muncie. The US Free Flight Champs (USFFC) will likely be held at Lost Hills, California, over Labor Day weekend.
The first two days of the SAM Champs are to include International Old-Time Wakefield competition, so this year's affair should take on some international flavor.
Finally, the FAI Team Finals are being slated for Palm Bay, Florida, September 21-24.
USOC, which has been staged over Labor Day weekend for the past two years, was relocated to July to prevent a logjam of contest days at Muncie during the first two weeks of September. At one time Muncie was to be booked for 13 contest days out of the first 19 days of the month, and included a traditional two-day regional contest as well as the USOC and SAM affairs. Isn't it terrible to have so many free flight contests to attend? Who said free flight was dead? Make your plans to attend as many of these sessions as possible, and fully support your local and regional meets as well. Let's make it another great season!
A.D. .060
The premier 1cc engine in the world of F1J (the FAI Small Power event) appears to be the Italian-made Schnuerle-ported, front-intake, rear-exhaust A.D. .060. It is reportedly produced one at a time by craftsman Alberto Dall'Oglio, who has been building limited-production engines for more than twenty years. Claims are they require no expensive rebuilding and are ready to use right out of the box.
Bill Lynch is the current U.S. importer of these powerplants, and he is also the current AMA record holder for F1J with his Pegasus design. The last price list I saw quoted the engines at $208 each, plus $6 for postage and insurance.
A.D. glow plugs were $5 each (minimum order of six). A $12 custom head that accepts a Nelson plug makes those plugs only $3 each (minimum order of six). Bill also sells Rocco folding props (6.25 x 2.75) at $65 each. Add $2.50 postage if ordering any of the above accessories. Address: 11137 Creekhaven Ct., Auburn, CA 95602. Tel.: (916) 823-1037.
You might wish to send a SASE for the latest pricing and availability before you order, as these things change from time to time without much notice. A phone call would also accomplish the same purpose. Tell them Durnan sent you!
KAPA
Kits and Plans of Antiquitous (KAPA) was initiated by Jim Alaback to promote the collection, preservation, restoration, and exchange of model airplane kits and plans that are no longer available from their original sources. Jim prints the KAPA Kollector newsletter four times a year. It includes klub news, historical information, how-to articles, plans and photos, and classified advertising (free to members).
Dues are $6 ($8 in Canada/Mexico; $11 via airmail elsewhere). Back issues are $2 each. Address: 12366 Nacido Dr., San Diego, CA 92128-3108.
Next, we gotta have a magazine/newsletter collectors organization...see how it works?
Race Force, Inc.
Shortly after the '93 World Champs, I was handed a copy of a full page listing about fifty foreign-made engines supposedly available through Race Force, Inc. The listing includes numerous manufacturers of such engines as the Stels, Cyclon, CS, Irvine, plus many parts and accessories.
All engines are listed by intended use, such as CL Speed, Combat, Team Race, and FF Power. Other specialty items are listed, including props, timers, prop hubs, and Kevlar motor tubes.
What I have at this time completes my total knowledge of the company, so you might wish to send a SASE for more information. Address: P.O. Box 342, Edmonds, WA 98020-0342. Tel.: (206) 774-6456.
Whatever Happened to Baby ROG...or was it Baby Jane?
I recently received a nice, informative letter from Marty Richardson that pretty well sums up the state-of-the-art for competition rubber-powered models. Here's an excerpt:
"We had great weather last weekend, which I took advantage of. I got my new F1B trimmed, and it looks super! This is high-tech all the way: D/P feathering prop, wing winglets, VIT and autorudder. Kevlar aluminum D-box wing, with graphite capstrips and TE. Kevlar motor tube and plyon with a graphite/aluminum tailboom. The rudder and stab are actually balsa construction!
"I quit flying gas models some years ago, so I wouldn't have to get my hands greasy and carry around a heavy battery and other assorted flying gear. Guess who just bought a 12-volt DC battery to power his rubber motor heater?
"Well, guess who has an Ed Toner-designed oversize 10-cent Comet Phantom Flash with a Cox Pee Wee .020 in it? I mean, is that high-tech rubber power, or what?"
Obviously, although Marty's model truly exists, he was pulling my leg; so to get even, I'm making it our human-interest story for this month.
See ya downwind!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
