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Author Topic: 2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas  (Read 1135 times)

Offline Paul Smith

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2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas
« on: July 08, 2011, 07:30:46 PM »
The premier event of the AMA Nats, FAST Combat was run very successfully by Chris Gay.  This year we used F2D equipment with the time-honored AMA Fast Combat rules.  The result was 11 advance entries with 8 actual flyers, a nice up tick from recent years.  Furthermore, the reliability was exponentially better, resulting in almost all matches being won/lost in the air, not by equipment problems.

First - Don Cranfill 6-0
Second - Pete Plunkett 3-2
Third - Phil Cartier 2-2
Fourth - Don McKay 2-2
Fifth - Howard Williams 1-2
Sixth - Richard Stubblefield, Don Sopka, and Robert Smith 0-2

The contest ended in a sort of "king of the hill" operation in which Cranfill & his crew stayed in the circle for four consecutive matches and systematically eliminated all surviving competition,  

Paul Smith

Offline Steven Kientz

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Re: 2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2011, 06:40:50 AM »
 I was there Friday with two friends to watch. Some of the best matches I've seen. Don Cranfill was definitely on top of his game. Four consectutive matches(all kills early on I believe)was quite exciting. All matches were pretty good, only saw 2 mid airs.

Steve
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Offline john e. holliday

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Re: 2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2011, 08:39:47 AM »
Sounds like the combat people did something right.  The 36 size planes and power were way too fast.  Is the premier event still on 60 foot lines?   I know on FAI lines the F2D's are still fast.  Thanks for the report and congradulations to Don. H^^
John E. "DOC" Holliday
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Offline John Cralley

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Re: 2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2011, 09:30:13 AM »
Way to go Don,

I knew you were good when I flew with you in the "Pursuit Combat" at the Ringmaster Roundup in May but wow you really blew away the competition at the Nationals.

Great job!!

John
John Cralley
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Offline Paul Smith

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Re: 2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2011, 09:43:58 AM »
The idea of the thing is to use EXACTLY the same equipment as F2D, so you don't need special stuff for two events.  Since this was the transition year from 8 mm to 6 mm exhaust pipes, they let the 8 mm slide one last time.   

To answer the question, the lines are still 52' - 2-3/8" (or the French equivalent that makes it 10 laps to the kilometer).

The result is a good copy of a big 1970 Fast plane with G21/35 on 60's.   Except a lot more reliable, evenly matched, and no problem running five minutes.
Paul Smith

Offline dave siegler

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Re: 2011 National Champion - Don Cranfill of Texas
« Reply #5 on: July 09, 2011, 05:20:11 PM »
Face it, the premier combat event is F2d now.

F2d had a lot more entries and a whole bunch of them went home after F2d....

Fast rules are better, but even at our own nationals F2d had more entries (14) than AMA combat. 

Triple elimim lot more flying, stupid rules, but more flying.

Pilots go all the way to europe for a good f2d contest, how many come over to fly our nationals or the grabber to fly fast? 

I will agree the f2d equipment is simple, tough and works well.
 
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