Author Topic: 1/2a Goodyear - Or.. Mouse Racing (Read 5728 times)

Mark Misegadis · « **on:** September 06, 2009, 02:37:12 PM »

Hi,

I have come accross some things in the threads that lead me to believe there is a 1/2a Goodyear class that at least existed in recent history?

Is this true and if so does it still see participation?

Can anyone post any information about the details of the class and or pictures?
1) Are these built from Balsa or heavy like the Mouse Class 1 racers of Basswood?
2) Are there kits?
3) What are the allowed airframes?

etc...

Thanks, Mark

Thomas Wilk · « **Reply #1 on:** September 06, 2009, 06:02:54 PM »

the Brits fly an .09 goodyear - no landing gear - flown over grass - 2 pit stops. I don't remember the laps.
Julio's contest in Portugal has it.

tom wilk

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #2 on:** September 06, 2009, 09:37:19 PM »

Hi Tom,

Where do I find information on the .09 Brit class?

What do you think on construction of 1/2a Mouse planes would they need to be all Basswood just like Mouse 1 planes are?

I have found some references and perhaps a photo of a 1/2a Goodyear plane while searching the threads.

Scott Jenkins
Back when they held the last East Coast championships in Winston Salem is when Mark and I did our best in Mouse Racing if memory serves me we won Mouse 1 and came in second in mouse 2 only because the conrod gave up on us it was shaped like a "J" after the last race. We ended up taking home 3 trophys that day but I cannot remember what the other one was for maybe 1/2a goodyear.

John Tate
Here is a picture of Mark Barrows holding up a mouse racer. Mr. Ringo printed the picture in 1982.

Mark

Thomas Wilk · « **Reply #3 on:** September 07, 2009, 08:37:24 AM »

Mark
Hot Canary 1976 MAN Oct p11 14.50 145.00 .09-.15 Goodyear FSP10762 Farr, Jerry & Patricia, Gene
Knight Twister 1976 MAN Oct p11 22.00 128.00 .09-.15 Goodyear FSP10762 Farr, Jerry & Patricia, Gene

these are from my CD. send me an email off forum and i'll send you the scans.

Tom
tawilk36@cpinternet.com

john e. holliday · « **Reply #4 on:** September 07, 2009, 09:25:59 AM »

Mark, take some time and sit down, go to the AMA site. Go to the rules section and have a blast. In the Mouse Racing section there are 4 classes listed. The scale racing portion is still supplemental. Have fun, DOC Holliday

Thomas Wilk · « **Reply #5 on:** September 07, 2009, 05:10:39 PM »

Mark;

go to: http://www.bmfa.org/publications/rulebooks/index.html. open the PDF file and page down to page 39 Mini-Goodyear Team Race. you'll find the rules there.

BMFA = British Model Flying Association is the same as our AMA.

Tom Wilk

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #6 on:** September 08, 2009, 07:52:48 AM »

Ty and All, You guys are confirming what I thought. That this has happened before although perhaps not nationally sanctioned but rather regionally or perhaps at least locally encouraged. Cool!

Can you tell me if the Sig Deweybird (Also a Midget Racer) is the same size as what you were running or if its larger? Its tough to tell from the photos of the Swea Pea by Willis Swindell or Mark Barrows racer that is pictured in this thread. They do look close but perhaps may be smaller.

Materials: Where the Goodyear styled Mouse Racers made of Bassword or out of balsa then laminated with fiberglass like the current Mouse Racer purpose built design?

This past weekend I attended my first race. Previous to this all I had seen were still shots in books of guys running in a circle. (Old book.. way too much hair and plaid pants!) This looks like a very good time and I plan on having a .15 Goodyear racer ready to race next season. As I have a fair amount of .049 stuff handy I wouldnt mind doing the same thing scaled down also. While I would probably enjoy straight up Mouse 1 I really prefer to have it look like a real racing airplane. As I own the Deweybird already I thought this would be a good kit to put together for this purpose. At best something to do locally.

I know that Larry Rice has been looking for a project in this category. Larry.. if your listening there is a thread on here that shows a Berkley Shoestring that is a scale plane. Log construction of one of these in 1/2 a would be appealing to me.

Mark

Paul Smith · « **Reply #7 on:** September 08, 2009, 07:18:43 PM »

We ran 1/2A Goodyear in Wichita back around 1975.

The rules were simple, 1"=1' scale and Reed valve .049's (Black widow) maximum. We had a beauty contest in the winter and racing the summer. Small planes like the Ole Tigre came out with a 14" winspan. The biggest one were about 18".

No need for model plans. Just get a book like "the modern Air Racers in 3-Views 1949-1975" by Charles A. Mendenhall and build something you like out of sheet balsa.

I built both an Ole Tigre and a Rivets. The Rivets is pretty beaten down, but I won a race with the Ole Tigre in 2005 and it's still fit to race.

The picture (from 2005) shows the 1975 Ole Tigre with a newly built Class I Mouse.

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #8 on:** September 09, 2009, 08:09:03 AM »

Nice Planes Paul,

Both you and Ty are confirming what I had thought. That mouse racers at least regionally looked like a full size Midget racer.

I have no reference but am looking at the Sig DeweyBird. (As I dont have that book yet...good tip!)
I would guess that this plane has an increased wingspan as the "semi scale" portion of the design at 22 1/2"
Overall it might be more than 1" to 1' in scale. Perhaps still a nice easy place to start for a local spec airframe limited Goodyear class???

Thoughts?

As far as I know there is no current mouse racing program around here.

Mark

W.D. Roland · « **Reply #9 on:** September 10, 2009, 08:15:03 PM »

Mark

Medium and hard balsa with proper motor mounts.
1/8-3/16in thick for wing and 1/4in thick for fuse.

Balsa density would depend on how careful you are and what life span you expect.

Soft balsa of these sizes would do if one was careful.

David
51336

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:25:39 AM »

Thanks for the help everyone!

Is there anyone else that has photos that they would like to publish?

Mark

Thomas Wilk · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 11:37:36 AM »

these photos were take in Portugal in 2006;

Bob Furr · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2009, 10:02:33 PM »

Its been a couple of years since I have read the AMA rule book but I am 99% sure there is an AMA 1/2A Goodyear event.
Bob

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #13 on:** September 25, 2009, 12:58:10 PM »

During Further Research on this I have found a few things out.

The Sig Deweybird has a 22.5 WS which is seemingly big for a 1"-1' scaled 1/2a Goodyear racer.
Reason: Even though the SIG information refers to it as a Midget Racer it is not. It is however so very close in it lineage that it still appears to be a good candidate.

I purchased a 1967 Magazine with the first test of the airplane. In it Jim Dewey detailed that this plane was based on the Cosmic Wind. (Apparently he logged many hours in the Cosmic Wind planes as well) As it was developed as his personal sport plane he added 4'8" to the WS and 4" to the overall length. The reason was that this plane was meant to carry 2 people.

The planes panels and a good portion of the wing are directly from the Cosmic Wind midget racer. Jim Dewey actually borrowed tooling from the gentleman who had owned all of the Cosmic Wind racers at one time or another. So to sum this all up: The kit appears to be very close to 1"-1' scale and if one were to start a Goodyear class then this plane does have the correct racing roots.

Plus.. its easy to get and is cheap.

Per Paul Smiths advice.. this is the next step ( Just get a book like "the modern Air Racers in 3-Views 1949-1975" by Charles A. Mendenhall and build something you like out of sheet balsa.)

Mark

PaulGibeault · « **Reply #14 on:** September 25, 2009, 06:24:29 PM »

HI Mark,

If you google "049 collectors" you can see photo's of mouse racers, & even some plans... I could send photo's but all mine excede the file size allotted here. Best of luck, they're FUN (without breaking the bank).
Cheers, Paul pgibeault@shaw.ca

Dave Hull · « **Reply #15 on:** September 28, 2009, 02:34:19 PM »

Mark,
We have some 1/2A scale racers out here in SoCal--but we haven't done much racing with them yet. In a previous issue of the National Control Line Racing Association (NCLRA) newsletter, the Torque Roll, edited by Tim Stone, I submitted a picture of Dave Dawson's racers, including a Falck Rivets (11 championship wins), Long Midget Mustang, Granville GeeBee Model Z “City of Springfield”, and the Wittman Bonzo. We had the GeeBee out at our last race, but had no one to race against....

In NorCal (bay area), they have been doing a lot of 1/2A, including scale and some "proto racing." The contact person for these is Randy Bush of the AeroNuts.

You can see a few photos of Mouse I's from the SoCal area posted at http://www.nclra.org/

As far as construction, if you want to race it, make sure it weighs at least 7 ounces to let you whip on landing. Use the weight to build in durability. The larger scale planes might want to be heavier. Dave's were mostly balsa structure and I don't think they were glassed. His used TeeDees for the "Funny Mouse" rules, but could have been set up for reed-type engines.

Have fun racing!

Dave "McSlow" Hull
SoCal Air Racers

Air Ministry . · « **Reply #16 on:** September 29, 2009, 07:51:44 PM »

Now if everyone had one in the car boot ( trunk) when they went flying ,

Any strangers wanting to 'can I have a go ' after a fling instruction lecture,

Have a fly of something that looks like an aeroplane and doesnt fly too bad.

Maybe it should be compulsary for all controliners ? Introduce beginners .

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2009, 11:32:01 AM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on September 07, 2009, 09:25:59 AM

Mark, take some time and sit down, go to the AMA site. Go to the rules section and have a blast. In the Mouse Racing section there are 4 classes listed. The scale racing portion is still supplemental. Have fun, DOC Holliday

Howdy Doc,

I keep forgetting to tell you that I did go to the site and these rules dont come up. No Werkee. Thanks though for the suggestion.

Mark

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2009, 11:33:14 AM »

Quote from: Thomas Wilk on September 07, 2009, 08:37:24 AM

Mark
Hot Canary 1976 MAN Oct p11 14.50 145.00 .09-.15 Goodyear FSP10762 Farr, Jerry & Patricia, Gene
Knight Twister 1976 MAN Oct p11 22.00 128.00 .09-.15 Goodyear FSP10762 Farr, Jerry & Patricia, Gene

these are from my CD. send me an email off forum and i'll send you the scans.

Tom
tawilk36@cpinternet.com

Hi Tom,

I had missed this! Thanks I will send you an email.

Mark

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2009, 11:37:12 AM »

Quote from: Dave Hull on September 28, 2009, 02:34:19 PM

Mark,
We have some 1/2A scale racers out here in SoCal--but we haven't done much racing with them yet. In a previous issue of the National Control Line Racing Association (NCLRA) newsletter, the Torque Roll, edited by Tim Stone, I submitted a picture of Dave Dawson's racers, including a Falck Rivets (11 championship wins), Long Midget Mustang, Granville GeeBee Model Z “City of Springfield”, and the Wittman Bonzo. We had the GeeBee out at our last race, but had no one to race against....

In NorCal (bay area), they have been doing a lot of 1/2A, including scale and some "proto racing." The contact person for these is Randy Bush of the AeroNuts.

You can see a few photos of Mouse I's from the SoCal area posted at http://www.nclra.org/

As far as construction, if you want to race it, make sure it weighs at least 7 ounces to let you whip on landing. Use the weight to build in durability. The larger scale planes might want to be heavier. Dave's were mostly balsa structure and I don't think they were glassed. His used TeeDees for the "Funny Mouse" rules, but could have been set up for reed-type engines.

Have fun racing!

Dave "McSlow" Hull
SoCal Air Racers

Great info Dave... Thanks
Keep us posted and please take post the photos here that you sent in to the mag.

Mark

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #20 on:** October 02, 2009, 11:42:25 AM »

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to let all of you know that I have started a thread looking for WS and L measurements in the Open Forum of the Goodyear planes

http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=14331.0

I am finding the published measurements to be inconsistant. If you could please check your reference material and post what you have for numbers that would be great!

Thank you, Mark

Paul Smith · « **Reply #21 on:** October 02, 2009, 01:38:50 PM »

I sent you that documentation today.

The real problem isn't small differences in the length or wingspan, it's getting decent Black Widows at an affordable price. Keep an eye out for people quitting modeling and/or estate sales. Back in the day, a $5.95 Black Widow was a GO deal. Today, a similar engine, maybe lower quality, for $60 might not be so good.

As mentioned before, these planes were modified all the time, so the lenght can be changed by spinners, tail wheels and rudder overhang.

The wingspan isn't so squishy. But you still have the option of what to do with the area inside the fuselage when you make it into a profile. This can give you 2"-to-3" of slack on 1/12 scale airplane.

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #22 on:** October 02, 2009, 03:13:46 PM »

Hi Paul,

Thank you and I look forward to the documentation.

I appreciate the insite on the plane design. As with any "Racer" winged or wheeled they do change from event to event. Even more so from owner to owner. On these specific planes its a little tough to track them through history when the name changes and they are referred to by that rather than make.

It has all been fun though and I intend on knocking out something in wood this weekend so that I can say I am started.

Motors..I understand. I actually am doing fine there for the moment thank goodness.

BTW: Anyone here able to name the "Make of Plane" in the photo of the "Mark" (Guy in the Ball cap) earlier in the thread. Very cool picture and a cute little plane. I was thinking perhaps a Cassutt?

Mark

Mark Misegadis · « **Reply #23 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:21:31 AM »

Ty,

Thanks for the info in this thread as well as the one for race plane dimensions.
I have some stuff blown up and am cutting wood now. Should be a good time!

Mark