Since we're talking Super Satan, this seems like a good time to share an experience I had with Duke and Larry at the '72 Glenview Nats. I attended the Nats in '72 as an unofficial* "representative" of Fox Mfg. That is, I would offer assistance to combat contestants using Fox products in the form of parts, engine work, pit assistance needed, whatever. I also did demo-flights of a Fox 36 Sport powered Demon to demonstate the abilities of the new, lightweight 36 Sport engine that Duke had released. (I think the Demon and the 36 Sport weighed in at less than 15 oz.)
(* Unofficial in the I was expected to be there but wasn't paid to be there!!!)
Anyway, one of the evenings early in the week was reserved for some test flying of some 36X engine mods. Duke, myself, and Larry Scarinzi were going to be the ones involved in doing this. I think I recall that we used three watches. (Larry would time himself from the inside of the circle and Duke and I from outside and we'd compare the times.)
Now, I must confess that at that time in my life (cocky, thought I had the combat world by the tail) I viewed the Super Satan as "obsolete" compared to the current crop of combat airplanes being flown. (Nemesis, Tyrantuala 2, etc.) After all, that Super Satan article came out in, what, 1967? This was 1972, time marches on. Therefore, I was interested in seeing one fly... but didn't expect a whole lot.
We we three arrived at our makeshift flying field off to the side of the official flying circles. As Duke and I unloaded our stuff from the vehicle, Larry began to retrieve his squadron of Super Satan's.
They were immaculate. If you've never seen a Larry Scarinzi model, you can't imagine how well they are fitted and how beautifully they are finished... and we're talking COMBAT planes! That's just the way Larry is: He builds and finishes them to perfection.
We put the first engine on one of Larry's original Super Satan's, Larry and I fired it off, and with me holding, Larry went out to the handle. Controls checked the signal was given to let'er go... which I did.
MY GOD!!
That thing accelerated and within a half lap it was COOKIN'! I mean SIZZLIN' COOKIN'! I had seen quite a few combat planes fly up to that point, but NEVER one this fast! I had to mentally snap back to the business at hand as Larry flew flat and level during the timing runs. It was indeed movin'... and according to our watches was screaming along comfortably over 120 MPH.
"Wow... it's fast", I thought, "...but with that thin airfoil it ain't gonna' turn worth a flip".
Still flying flat and level, Larry stopped his watch, looked down at it, stuck it in his pocket, and then he pulled the handle...
I'm serious: This thing turned a radius that was truly impressive, and Larry tore the air up with it. As he did, it never sagged, lost speed (that could be seen or heard), and stayed steady as a rock on the end of the lines as he put on an incredible show of flying skill. (Larry was indeed a VERY good flier, and still is!)
Very impressive indeed, and eye opening to me. (Don't believe bench fliers.)
Within minutes there were combat fliers (some of them looked to be in the Senior Class) literally running over to the circle and asking "What the heck was THAT???"
It was with no small amount of pride that I would tell them, "why, it's a Fox36X BB powered Super Satan". (We caused no small stir as we continued our test session as combat fliers, and others, would come up and ask questions/etc.)
However, I digress. The impressive "first flight" finished, it was time to get back to work. As the session progressed, we went through many, many engine swaps/different planes/etc. Long story short: Though the times were impressive, they weren't impressive enough. This was essentially the test session that convinced Duke that he likely needed a major redesign in order to catch Super Tigre. But that's another story.
Toward the end of the session, I was doing something (checking props/engine mount screws/whatever) and Larry asked me "you want to fly it and see what you think?".
Trying to hide my surprise, I said "Sure."
Now this was too cool. I was going to get to fly one of the original (if not THE original, I can't recall) Super Satan prototypes.
We stuffed it full of fuel, lit it off, and I sprinted to the handle. (I was young... sprinting was nothing then!)
"Just wait 'til I wow this crowd with MY flying skills with this thing!" I thought to myself.
Bear in mind, that for the past several flights, I had been flying a much lesser performing engine/plane combination that was very stable (a Demon is a very stable combat plane), and doesn't possess a lot of "snap" (i.e. lightening quick response) to it. Further, I had not be doing a lot of flying that summer, what being busy with work and other things. (In other words, I was very "rusty" in my flying.) But never mind that, it was "SHOWTIME!".
Picking up the handle, I checked the controls... they're good... then the signal to let'er go...
The Satan lept into the air, and I kid you not, it was a good quarter lap ahead of me before I finally caught up to it. My God this thing was FAST!. Catching up to it, I made a couple/three level laps and settled down. Okay... it was time to put on the show.
I brought it around and prepared to snap it into what was to be a figure eight, and then from there I was simply going to reflex/free style fly it. Now, pull the trigger and...
OMG!!! That thing turned so fast it was headed straight for the ground... I yanked down and it snapped back up and started over my head...
What followed was a few frantic seconds of trying to catch up to an airplane that was so far above my then-current abilities it was embarassing. My thought was "oh my God... I'm going to crash one of Larry's planes."
I finally managed to catch up to it, and so shaken was I by this unsettling experience, I leveled out and flew the remaining tank dry.
Mercifully, I glided it in and landed it safely.
How humbling that had been.
Yes, I wish I could have "do-overs" a few months later after I was determined to sharpen up and regain my previous skills as well as make further progress in my flying skills. (Which I did.)
But that night... it was all I could do to hang on to one of Larry's Super Satan's.
As the article said, it was almost like "lightening on a leash"!!!