Nostalgia Combat Sept. 24th, 2017

[Tom Luciano]

Although I love my Combat Streak, The Killer is my favorite Box fuselage Combat plane. This is Tom S and his Blackhead powered Killer!
Tom

[C.T. Schaefer]

Enjoyable!   Small detail correction.  Power is a Fox Rocket .40. Old style TF  9-7.

[Terrence Durrill]

Well Andre the old DOC is sitting here wishing he could have made the Tulsa Stunt fest.  Hope nothing changes plans for the combat get together.   Also hope I got engine run problems cured on the Guilletine and Equalizer.  Jimj Lee doesn't think Fox 35 Stunt is enough on the Manx Cat which I plan on using 52 foot lines.

                    Back around 1960, a flying buddy of mine down in Green Ridge, Missouri, built a MANX CAT and used a K&B .35 greenhead engine for power.  It was plenty adequate !    ....   I think you will find that a Fox .35  will do the job on the right prop and fuel, however, I am sure that you have an old K&B .35 greenhead somewhere in the cave which would volunteer for the job.  If you have a copy of the magazine article on the MANX CAT, you will see in the photos that the designer used the K&B .35 greenhead engine on the original MANX CAT III.  .....        

[john e. holliday]

But I don't like the exhaust position of the Green Head K&B's.

[Steve Lotz]

Did that engine burn down on the Lancer?

Steve

[Tom Luciano]

"Did that engine burn down on the Lancer?"

I think the needle valve was a little loose and opened up and went way rich. He's running a pacifier on that, which tend to go rich the last couple of laps normally.

[Terrence Durrill]

But I don't like the exhaust position of the Green Head K&B's.

                   I know what you mean, however I have used the K&B .35 greenhead since 1955, on all sorts of side mounts and upright mounts with very good results.  You might try a K&B Stallion .35.  As I remember, they are similar in power output, but have the exaust on the "right" side.          

[Andre Ming]

Hi all! Enjoying all the videos, comments, and banter in this thread!  Thanks to all that are contributing. And a special thanks to Tom L. for his videos!

As for me:

I am aiming toward next year's GSCB event already! I have two Voodoo kits on the way that I ordered from Lazer Works. They shipped today. One (I hope) is to be powered with one of my Johnson 35 CS engines, the other some type of X engine (of course!). Either a 35X or 36X NB or 36X BB? We shall see!

I also have a couple other airplanes I want to build for the event, likely X powered. Also: At the upcoming Gluedobber's Combat weekend (Oct 14-15) I'm supposed to pick up my old ST 35C. (That I purchased in the mid-1960's.) 'Dobber Randy Dailey has rebuilt it into a sort of replica engine like he used to win Sr. Combat at the '66 Nats. Haven't decided what it will power. May go onto a "Zipper" like Randy used to win.  We shall see on that, too!

Was hoping to have something new ready for this year's Gluedobber's Combat weekend, but alas, it didn't happen. (Too much life going on. Life going on is a good thing, though...right? ) However the retirement monthly countdown is well down into the single digits now, so more flex time will eventually be available! (April '18 ought to be my last month of labor. All of May will be paid vacation. I will be formally retired and receive my first RR retirement check in June 2018.) 

 

[Al Ferraro]

[quote author=john e. holliday
Would not call that a legit speed with him walking backwards.

 Sure it is, the plane is on 60 ft lines and it was timed for 7 Laps. The object is to get the fastest mph as possible no matter what style of flying the pilot does, its a fun fly. I've seen many different flying techniques over the years in the speed and racing circles where pilots try get as much mph as possible, so that's why we don't enforce that rule. Yes, I was pulling the plane as hard as I could trying to get my Johnson 35 CS to unload over 100 mph, but was  unsuccessful. What it really comes down to is you need to make power, because all that fancy piloting will only get you a couple extra MPH.
Al

[Andre Ming]

What I've seen at contests and films/videos is that at a sure 'nuf speed event, the handle must be placed in a rotating "pylon" so that the handle to plane c/l is as close to the prescribed line length as practical. This means the handle is essentially dead center of the circle. Without a pylon, you cannot simulate this without holding the handle to your chest and back stepping a bit. If you do not back step, the handle is going to make your circle approximately an 18" - 24" larger diameter owing to your chest thickness, wrist length/etc. The idea of back stepping is to keep the handle as close as possible to being the center point of the pivot.

Learned this way back at the Glenview Nats in '72 when I asked Larry why he was back stepping when we were timing some engine mods.

[Frank Imbriaco]

Al and Andre :
Good points. Might I add that if I don't pull the handle to my gut and step back while circling, the ship will get ahead... thankfully not to the point of getting the lines wrapped around self.
An exaggeration, of course 

[C.T. Schaefer]

Another point on this thread. Fun is the name. Not policing. Also, the event is called the Larry Scarinzi Speed Challenge. So, with that being said, we are all trying to emulate our spiritual mentor and his technique . Therefore, a little effort in the circle is not only accepted but encouraged! As Al pointed out, it's still what's up front that counts. The air gave us some pushback this year and no amount of technique was enough to crack 120. Maybe next year.    TS

[Tom Luciano]

Always good to see Ken and Shawn Cook. They always have cool stuff. Here is Shawn "The Big Easy" and the Super Whipsaw

[Andre Ming]

Tom S. beat me to it, but I was going to add:

The entire concept of GSBC's Combat weekend is to have fun first and foremost. If the "Speed Challenge" portion was to be "strictly legal"... then a pylon, a more accurate timing system, altitude indicators (your entire timed run of "x" amount of laps must be below 6' altitude I think?), etc, are to be in place.  This is well and good if the attempt is going to be an "official" result... but making it "official" does tend to do two things:

* Make the speed portion of the weekend more "serious". (Complete with competitors beginning to be hyper-critical of others: "Not fair!! ONE of his timed laps was above 6'!!! Mine were all perfect!")

* Start the FF (Fun Factor) indicator sliding way down the FF scale in dramatic fashion.

As it is, the FF on a GSCB combat day is way upwards on the FF scale: Lots of very cool airplanes on display, lots of "fun flying" all day long, lots of excellent camaraderie among some truly fun guys to be around, on and on.  Shucks... even the food was great! (Where did you guys get that great carry-out pizza in 2015??)

Got a fast airplane? Timed out to be one of the fastest at GSCB?

Bragging rights bro'... with fudge room for us others to say why you were faster than we were!!! (All the more reason to do it again next year!)

Yup, all in fun.

"Fun" is what is going to get Sharon and I to drive umpteen thousands of miles to attend another one! 

[Al Ferraro]

  The craziest thing I've seen was a popular known speed flyer hoping around the pylon backwards to stay ahead of the handle during his flight  .
  Andre explained it exactly, its easier to keep the handle in the center if you walk backwards when you're right handed, a lefty it's easier to go forward when flying in a counter clockwise direction. In the early days what combat flyer didn't try to whip his plane while it was being timed to get his best MPH? The Scarinzi Speed Challenge is the way we relive our childhood memories by trying to duplicate his accomplishments.
Al

[Dane Martin]

Dudes! You've got me all excited here. I picked up a couple X model foxes and some early combat specials. I got a couple apocalypse models, a Darwing and hopefully a demon. Kristina has claimed one of the apocalypse planes and an enya 29 square venturi. She's sounding pretty confident....

[Andre Ming]

Al:

Speaking of memories... there was a clip on YouTube of a fly day when you were a skinny kid. I think Larry was in it, as well as The Butcher, et al. Is that still on YouTube? Do you remember who uploaded it for a search?

Dane:

Don't forget that the Gluedobbers are having a vintage combat day on Saturday, Oct 14, and Speed Limit Combat on Sunday the 15. Could be within driving distance for you? If so... there will be some more planes and stuff there to fuel your fire!

FWIW:

Been spending most of my morning accomplishing things for my "Hobby Shack". First up was cleaning out the remaining construction leftovers, then a trip to Walmart to gather up some stuff. Next it was time spent assembling storage shelves and a coat rack that I'll be using to hang my combat planes upon. Looks like the coat rack I purchased will be able to hold about a dozen combat planes... all hung up neatly like shirts in a row! I hope to move a work bench out there tomorrow. Getting a desk relocated to it (disassembled, reassembled, etc!) at will be an ordeal. It will then be time to start migrating supplies/etc out to it. HOWEVER... if I prevail and accomplish my goals for this weekend, my Hobby Shack will be nearly ready for use!

[Terrence Durrill]

Always good to see Ken and Shawn Cook. They always have cool stuff. Here is Shawn "The Big Easy" and the Super Whipsaw

             What is the engine on the SUPER WHIPSAW ?             

[Tom Luciano]

Terrence,
  I dont know what engine is o the Super Whipsaw. Im sure Ken will chime in when he see's your post.

Tom L

[kenneth cook]

                 The Super Whipsaw is a neat plane. This plane is using a Fox .15 BB with case pressure. I really enjoy the Fox .15's. 10% nitro and a Thunder Tiger 7 x 4.5 prop. It seems to be proving itself as a good combination. I do have a hiccup in the tank about mid flight. I'm not certain as to why but it's very identifiable. Ken

[Al Ferraro]

Al:

Speaking of memories... there was a clip on YouTube of a fly day when you were a skinny kid. I think Larry was in it, as well as The Butcher, et al. Is that still on YouTube? Do you remember who uploaded it for a search

Yes, I uploaded the video. My father filmed the footage back in the early sixties. Larry, the Butcher and a few other great modelelers are in the video.

[Andre Ming]

Thanks Al.

I'll download it tonight when I get home from work so I can have it in my virtual scrapbook. Though the memories aren't mine in the clip, I did live and flew CL during that time and I have similar CL memories. Your clip helps me to connect with said memories. Besides, I get to see younger versions of my East Coast Crazies friends therein!

[Bill Mohrbacher]

Thanks for the swell videos Tom.  You other guys, where are the pics of the models?