For gits n' shiggles... thought I'd start a "1/2 A Vintage Combat" thread!
As for a definition of "vintage 1/2 A"... to me that would be any 1/2 A up to the end of the Tee Dee era. As I recall, 1/2 A Combat didn't even become an AMA "Supplemental" class until the late '70's - early 80's? Once the hyper-performing 1/2 A engines arrived (Norvel, etc)... the Tee Dee was done and it appears 1/2 A became quite sophisticated, and the expense of pursuing 1/2 A combat went up with the speeds.
(Memory assist please: Was the "official" line diameter/length during the AMA Supplemental/Tee Dee years .012" x 35'? Or was it .008" x 35'?)
ANYWAY...
Let's go back to a simpler time and enjoy the old planes for what they were!
First up... the classic Combat Kitten:
"One of these days", I'm going to build me a Tee Dee powered Combat Kitten... I think the little sucker would be good for 70 MPH on the above mentioned lines... though it shouldn't turn as tight as my other 1/2 A stuff due to having less wing area. Though the Combat Kitten wasn't truly competitive as a 1/2 A combat plane as done during the AMA "Supplemental" years... I have so many good memories of them from when I was a kid that I'll probably keep one hanging around me until I'm too old to fly.
Next up, a pic from back in the mid-80's. I'm on the right, friend Alvin Myer on the left. I'm holding my 1/2 A Nemesis I concocted. Laying stacked on the ground is (right to left) a "Cheap Trick" (original design using a Lil' Snip diamond airfoil), a "Hot Stuff" (original design with my own airfoil), and a 1/2 A "Voodoo" w/diamond foil. I was still doing a lot of experimenting then.
All of my vintage Tee Dee powered airplanes weighed-in at around 4.5 - 5 oz ready to fly (sans fuel in the bladder).
I was a firm believer at the time of flying "imagination with covering stretched over it"!
Any of you have some pics you can post of your old vintage 1/2 A combat planes? Come on! Post up your pictures of Lil' Satan's, Big Otto's, Lil Snip's... originals... whatever 'ya got from the Tee Dee days and earlier!
Andre