Crash at Delta Park!

[Bill Adair]

I've forgotten a lot of things during my long break from control line flying, but found out that I can still do a spectacular figure 9....

Was attempting to do a horizontal eight after a couple of inside loops, but on the up leg of the outside half, my engine suddenly stopped! The inevitable stall was followed by totally slack lines, and a sickening thud, as the Skyray 35 impacted from a perfectly vertical dive! 

Several opinions for my engine quitting were offered by my friends who were watching from the sidelines, including insufficient warm up, not rich enough on take off, and needing to pull the McCoy 35 RH to install a real engine. 

Fortunately, the only real damage (other than my ego) was a cracked wood prop, slight separation at the wing TE splice, and split covering at the right wing root. The tank was punctured (easily fixed) on impact with the engine, and one engine mounting bolt sheared. Minor scuffing to the covering on the canopy, and a broken elevator horn just about sum up the repair work.

Hope to have it flying again shortly, with the same old engine in place.

Bill

[Garf]

The key to running a McCoy Red Head is to use a fuel with heavy castor oil and a hot glow plug.

[Leo Mehl]

I've forgotten a lot of things during my long break from control line flying, but found out that I can still do a spectacular figure 9....

Was attempting to do a horizontal eight after a couple of inside loops, but on the up leg of the outside half, my engine suddenly stopped! The inevitable stall was followed by totally slack lines, and a sickening thud, as the Skyray 35 impacted from a perfectly vertical dive! 

Several opinions for my engine quitting were offered by my friends who were watching from the sidelines, including insufficient warm up, not rich enough on take off, and needing to pull the McCoy 35 RH to install a real engine. 

Fortunately, the only real damage (other than my ego) was a cracked wood prop, slight separation at the wing TE splice, and split covering at the right wing root. The tank was punctured (easily fixed) on impact with the engine, and one engine mounting bolt sheared. Minor scuffing to the covering on the canopy, and a broken elevator horn just about sum up the repair work.

Hope to have it flying again shortly, with the same old engine in place.

Bill

This is one I missed so don't have any opinions but am sure you will have it fixed and flying again soon. I think you are doing just fine and will improve over the long hall. Hang in there buddy! Leo

[Bill Heher]

Hey Bill - at least you have a plausible excuse- engine quit.  I usually just fly a perfectly running plane into the ground!  Glad to hear the damage was relatively minor, and the McCoy survived the impact. 
The guys telling you to put " a real motor" on it need to watch Scott R.s McCoy powered Stuntwagon fly. It seems to fly that plane good enough for a 1st Place trophy!

See ya in a few weeks- I'm sure you will have the repairs completed and be back to practing those 8s.

[Paul Taylor]

Bill,
Glad you are on the handle !!!

SkyRays are built to pound in the ground, ask me how I know. They seem to fly better after the 3rd or 4th crash.

Hey seem like that Scott fellow should know something about McCoy's?

Hey how about some photos?

[Bill Adair]

Hi Paul,

Thanks! 

I have pictures, but haven't figured out how to use this Canon software, to upload more of them. Did the first batch, but now the software does not recognize the camera! 

Any Portland trips in the works?

Bill

[Bill Adair]

The key to running a McCoy Red Head is to use a fuel with heavy castor oil and a hot glow plug.

Hi Phil,

I'm running fresh Sig 25% Castor fuel, but broke the McCoy in with 28% Castor.

The McCoy starts on the first flip nearly every time, but I think I need more practice setting the needle.   

Bill

[Bill Adair]

Leo,

Thanks! 

Should be fixed soon, if there is no major damage under that fine covering job that Don Curry did, when he built the Skyray.

Should be out again Wed, and hope to see you there.

Bill

[Scott B. Riese]

The McCoys just need some TLC and knowledge of what the engine is doing. McCoy's are fickle and need the LOVE......

If I can help some time let me know 

Went out today with Leo and Dave and put up six flights with the McCoy 40 powered Stunt Wagon. I tried four different props today. All loaded the engine differently...however, all could be used if need be. A great day testing props.

[Bill Adair]

Hey Bill - at least you have a plausible excuse- engine quit. 

Hi Bill,

Thanks! 

No excuse. I kind of think it was a coincidence that the engine quit, right before I was going to crash anyway.   

Looking forward to your next trip to Portland.

Bill

[Bill Adair]

Hi Scott,

Thanks! 

You have already been a big help, but I do need to know how to set the needle before takeoff. 

No complaints with the McCoy, but the nut on the end of the needle, needs more practice. 

Assuming of course, that I can still hear well enough to tell when the needle is set just right! 

Bill

[Garf]

Assuming you have a good tank, start the engine, set it slightly rich, point the nose straight up, lean out the needle, back the needle out until the first hint of a miss, launch. This is only a starting point, you need to correct the setting 1/8 of a turn at a time after that. If the first flight was too lean, back the needle out 1/8 of a turn per flight until it's right. If the first flight was too rich, close the needle 1/8 turn per flight until it's right.

[Bill Adair]

Phil,

Good idea! 

That's the way I used to set my R/C engines, for their maiden flights! 

I'll give it a try. It always made good sense to me, to set the needle rich but not missing, with the nose pointed straight up.

That's where I thought I was with the McCoy, as I had leaned it one click, from a too rich run on the previous flight. 

Bill

[Terrence Durrill]

Hey Bill,

    Next time around, consider one of these.......the old Trixter Barnstormer is a great plane with a Fox .35 stunt for power.  It is fairly easy to build, even when scratch building from plans as this one was.  This one was built from plans supplied from MODEL AVIATION magazine and is extremely precise in its maneuvers.  It was built in 1987 and still looks and flies as good today as it did then.  If you are competition minded, this plane can be flown in Old Time Stunt, Classic as well as several other more advanced events.  While I have not flown in competition, since 1969, I am a confirmed sport flier and enjoy my old Barnstormer very much.  Sounds like you and I started flying about the same time.  My first control line plane was a Scientific Little Ace with an O.K. Cub .049 for power.  That was 1953.  My, how the years fly by! Check out my rendition of Lew Andrews masterpiece at the address below........  Terrence Durrill

           http://home.cogeco.ca/~controlline/durrill1.shtml

[Bill Adair]

Hi Terrence,

I can't remember the exact year that I started flying control line. Also had an OK Cub .049 but mine was on a Walker Fire Baby. The Cub didn't have enough power to get off the grass, so I replaced the Cub with a McCoy .049 diesel. The McCoy had just come out, or the LHS had just got one in stock.

I've always liked the Barnstormer design. A friend built one in 56 while we were in Germany with the AF. I had a Veco Tom Tom with a Fox 35 (my first large stunter), and his Barnstormer flew much better (but so did he). 

Bill

[Terrence Durrill]

Bill, back in the mid 1950's when I was flying the Scientific Little Ace with the Cub .049, one of my flying buddies had a Firebaby.  I don't remember what engine he had on it, but I do remember that it flew a whole lot better than the Little Ace.  The Little Ace was designed as a team racer and flew level ok, but was not a stunt plane.  The Firebaby was 100% more maneuverable than my plane.  I didn't have the money to buy the Firebaby then and even though I wanted one...to this day, I have never owned one.  It was a great little airplane.......Terrence Durrill

[Bill Adair]

Terrence,

We all seem to be plagued with the same nostalgia affliction. 

I've found replacements for my first OK Cub, and now have 2 originals, and several of the .049Bs.

Found two like new McCoy .049 diesels, with radial mounts like my original, and one later version with beam mounts, also in like new condition. Also found  a Tom Tom kit (CLC) to replace my first 35 size airplane.

Would still like to find a Fubar, CG Ranger 28, and Sinbad 36, to replace my first free flight, and glider models.

As you may know, Portland was the home of Jim Walker, and where the Firebaby was designed. I'd been corresponding with the late Frank Macy, in an attempt to get an original Firebaby in the box, but all that was available was replica kits at a premium price.

Another fellow who recently passed away, was Gil Coughlin in the Seattle area. Gil was a fixture at our Model Expos south of Seattle. He always had several tables for his mostly rubber powered free flight display. He entertained the crowds all day, by flying tiny airplanes over the crowds, and letting the kids retrieve them.

In his display were at least a half dozen original Firebaby's, and he told me he had a more still in the box. Tried to talk him into selling me one, but he wouldn't part with even one! I often wonder what happened to their airplanes?

Bill