Radio Control: Pylon Racing
By Dave Lane
I took a trip to the Oceanside Airport to see how Paul White was doing on Shoestring. Paul had the bird about ready for paint. He has reduced the frontal area of the fuselage by 10% — the new cheek cowls fit inside the old ones! Paul eliminated about 30 pounds from the basic airframe. As soon as I can, I will get some pictures for you guys who like midwing Formula One aircraft.
This year's Reno should prove interesting with the new Shoestring and the modified Wild Turkey going at it!
Pylon racing in Puerto Rico — FFPRA
I received a letter from Harold Newby in Catano, Puerto Rico. Harold stated there are only four or five Formula One and Quarter Midget fliers in Puerto Rico. The reason given for the low interest is that the investment involved is too much. Quickie 500 and Open Pylon are quite popular there, with 40 to 50 fliers in both events.
Harold wants to start a FFPRA (Fun Flyers Pylon Racing Association). This class would be for people who want to race but are not able to spend the time or money to compete in Formula One and Quarter Midget. Harold says they need a fun type of pylon racing for the novice and the flier who doesn't want the hassle of serious competition. The main point is to have a class that does not allow present-day Quarter Midget or Formula One pilots to compete, and when a flier gets too good or starts competing in Formula One or Quarter Midget, he would no longer be allowed to fly in the FFPRA. It sounds like a reasonable training ground for future Formula One and Quarter Midget fliers.
Gary McPike, NMPRA Secretary, suggests that racers look in their shops for any retired equipment that could be put in the hands of a novice to get new blood started.
K&B new 6.5 rear-rotor engine
By the time you read this, K&B will have their new 6.5 rear-rotor engine available. It should be competitive, out of the box, with Terry's Tigre or Clarence's K&B. It looks as if K&B really did their homework on this one.
K&B has been testing this engine in boats to determine if the lower end is strong enough. So far, so good. The sleeve is thicker and the rod is considerably larger. The crankcase is heavier. In fact, none of the parts in the new 6.5 are interchangeable with the old 6.5. The new engine has a steel rotor that is replaceable in the field.
Phoenix 8 kit information
Several people have written to ask how to get information about the new Phoenix 8. According to Dave Scully:
- Standard kit: $79.95
- Deluxe kit: $119.95
The standard kit includes:
- Epoxy/glass fuselage with molded canopy detail
- Stab fillets and pushrod exit guides
- Belly pan with molded wing bolt recesses
- Foam wings, stab and rudder
- Detailed plans and instructions with provisions for an optional "flying stab" installation
The deluxe kit also includes a complete wood package and necessary hardware. Production kits should be available now. If you have questions or want to order a kit, write to Aero Composites, 411 Townsend Place, Dayton, Ohio 45431.
Contributor: Ron Van Putte, 12 Connie Drive, Shalimar, FL 32579.
Glow plugs, props, and engine tuning
I noticed at the Bakersfield races that a lot of the super-fast guys were using the Glo-Bee glow plug. The Glo-Bee plug doesn't last any longer than the K&B plug, but the engines turn a little faster (200 to 400 rpm). Propellers are still the area that needs the most experimentation. Someone is going to come up with the right answer one of these days and maybe turn that magic time of one minute for 10 laps.
When I was in Colorado last year I attended a Quarter Midget race at Pueblo. The guys up there using 6-1/2" diameter props on their .15s were going like stink. Most of the Formula One pilots are running between 7-1/4" and 8-1/4" diameter props on the .40s. Maybe someone should try a 7-1/4" diameter prop. The smaller the diameter, the faster you can turn the engine before the prop tips go sonic. The engine is an air pump (basically) — the faster it turns, the more air it pumps and the more power you get. I don't think we are getting even close to the potential horsepower of the .40s. If you can get the .40 to turn above 25,000 rpm, you will start to reach the peak horsepower.
I don't profess to know how to get these engines to go any better than anyone else, but I think the engines are close to the peak state of the art now and we can only look at props, plugs and mounting techniques.
Spinner and mounting notes
The spinner goes along with this fine tuning. It should be balanced and should run true (no wobble). An out-of-balance spinner easily can cost you 500 rpm. It also can shake the engine loose in ten laps. The engine lugs and the mount beams must make total contact. The mounting screws must be perpendicular to the mount beams and centered on the engine lug holes. A slight misalignment of the mounting screws will distort the engine crankcase and cost you as much as 1,000 rpm, plus shorten the life of your engine.
Be sure the engine compartment is clean. You would be surprised how much dirt the engine will ingest through the venturi! Any dirt, loose paint, etc., will ruin the engine in one short run.
Dave Lane 4477 W. 136th St. Hawthorne, CA 90250
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
