Author Topic: Perky and Clown Speed at the Brodak Fly In (Read 3579 times)

Paul Smith · « **on:** February 07, 2014, 07:25:03 AM »

I have received approval to run a combined Perky and Clown speed event on Wednesday at The Brodak Fly In. Unlike the previous "Perky postal" at that contest, this year's event will offer regular Brodak plaques and charge the normal entry fee.

You can enter a Perky that complies with published Perky event rules and the score will be sent in to any postal contest that may be running a the time.

You can enter a Brodak-legal Clown (or Circus Prince) racer in accordance with Brodak Clown race rules.

There with be three first place awards: fastest Perky, fastest Clown, and the traditional closest to average.

The speed limits of the past have been eliminated. You can go as fast as you are able. There is a limit of one award per contestant.

http://www.clspeed.com/sites/default/files/Perky_Rules.pdf

C.T. Schaefer · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2014, 06:36:24 AM »

Paul, Is that a Proto speed event or 8 laps? Never did it before. Thanks, T.S.

Paul Smith · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2014, 01:23:00 PM »

Perky Speed (and also Clown Speed) is 16 laps (one mile) from a standing start. The lines for Perky are 52' 6" minimum.

The best Perkys do a little over 100 MPH. I expect that Brodak Clowns will go about 75 MPH. According to Brodak racing rules Clowns have a more permissive line length tolerance.

Perkys with sport or old time engines also go about 70 to 75 MPH.

C.T. Schaefer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:28:39 AM »

The Perky kit is winging it's way to me right now, in a blizzard!! Hope I can get it going for Brodak. I have not touched a speed plane since 1987 when both of my K&B's bit the dust at Lincoln, Ne.

Paul Smith · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2014, 02:56:43 PM »

One more bit of advice:

Don't bother trying to bury the leadouts in the wing. It's not worth it for 9" of wire, and they don't emerge from the ellipical wing very well. With outdoor leadouts you can start out conservative and sneak them foreward when you get the nerve.

C.T. Schaefer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2014, 06:16:13 PM »

Do you need to have leadouts or can you hook up directly to the BC. Can you change the length of the LG?

Paul Smith · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2014, 07:33:18 AM »

I originally made mine so I could hook up direct without leadouts.

But when most of the contests went to the "average wins" format I decided it wasn't worth the effort and installed leadouts with clips. I can easily return to the direct connection if I feel that 9" of leadouts and a pair of clips in the windstream is significant in the 100 MPH range.

Paul Smith · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2014, 08:26:25 AM »

The event rules are now included in the Annual Fly In part of the Brodak web site.

Unlike past "postal" Perky events at The Brodak, this year you will pay the normal event entry fee and have the opportunity to will one of Mr. Brodak's nice plaques. There is still an award for "closest to average" and score will be submitted to the current postal event(s). In addition there will be first place only prizes for the fastest Perky and Clown racer.

Motorman · « **Reply #8 on:** May 20, 2014, 09:04:05 PM »

Perkys only go 100 mph, are they limited to suction tanks or something?

MM

Fred Cronenwett · « **Reply #9 on:** May 20, 2014, 09:18:43 PM »

We just ran a speed contest here in St Louis and the speeds for Perky ranged from 56.25 mph to 108.65 mph, the average was near 83 mph

Fred

Paul Smith · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2014, 05:51:55 AM »

Quote from: Motorman on May 20, 2014, 09:04:05 PM

Perkys only go 100 mph, are they limited to suction tanks or something?
MM

Yes, Perkys are limited to suction tanks and 10% sport fuel. They are timed for a standing mile so the speed averages down.
A few of them have broken 100, but this is unusual. At The Nats they allowed diesels to run ANY FUEL which gave them a huge advantage over the standard glow fuel. A Perky with an expensive F2C diesel, a big venturi and trick fuel could probably do 130 to 140 MPH.

At The Brodak everybody will use the house fuel and they can have any ignition system they want.

bob whitney · « **Reply #11 on:** May 27, 2014, 12:31:01 PM »

the Brodak site says Perky engines will be the same as NASS Perky rules which includes diesels

Motorman · « **Reply #12 on:** May 27, 2014, 02:32:54 PM »

What diesel fuel would ever have an advantage over glow fuel? I've never had a diesel that would outrun a glow in a pure speed event.

MM

bob whitney · « **Reply #13 on:** May 28, 2014, 10:17:11 PM »

so tell us, are we using NASS Perky rules or Brodak Perky rules

Peter Lott · « **Reply #14 on:** May 29, 2014, 12:29:54 AM »

I'll be bringing my Perky 9000 miles for this event! For the simple reason, it is small enough to pack into my suitcase with ease....The weather has been so foul here it hasn't been test flown either.....

Paul Smith · « **Reply #15 on:** May 29, 2014, 01:12:07 PM »

I think the rules are clear enough. All the Perkys and Clowns will need to run on the same standard fuel: 10/11/11.

It would hardly be cricket to allow some engines to run any fuel they wish and constrain others to a house blend. There has never been a diesel Perky flown at The Brodak. The local rules are designed to allow the numerous Clown Race contestants on site to compete with their standard equipment without the need to switch to funny fuel for the speed event. This is a fun fly, not a world championship.

Motorman · « **Reply #16 on:** May 29, 2014, 03:33:57 PM »

Why would you switch to diesel for the speed event, it's slower than glow fuel. I'm not buying it anyway, switching fuels take about 20 seconds. You can only put about 4%nitro in diesel fuel before it causes big problems.

MM

Paul Smith · « **Reply #17 on:** May 29, 2014, 05:47:49 PM »

I've been going to The Brodak since 2005. The Perky Speed entries are typically three +/-1. There have been a lot more guys weighing in on the rules than ever entered the event. Nobody has ever brought a diesel Perky to Carmichaels. I welcome the discussion. At least it proves somebody read the rules.

If I added a diesel class, how many entries would actually show up? I doubt the answer is even one. If somebody blew out the event with an F2C engine equipped with a big venturi and funny fuel, it would premanently kill the event for all the regular Brodak sportsmen. Take it to Muncie and win the big one.

As an event director, I do not want to host a fuel chemistry event that would bring out amyl nitrate, amyl nitrite, xylene, propelyne oxide, hydrozine, nitropropane, nitrobenzene, tetranitro methane, PEK, MEBS, ether (which badly burned Richard Pryor), and Walter White.

Motorman · « **Reply #18 on:** May 29, 2014, 09:34:55 PM »

Well ok, that makes sense but, if you want to get rid of F2C engines you could just ban rear valves.

MM

Paul Smith · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2014, 04:16:42 PM »

The only thing I have disallowed from a Fun Fly is a rule that restricts some engines to low grade sport fuel and allows others to run anything they can concoct. I have no problem with an rear intake engine that uses the same fuel as everybody else.

In my receollection from the late 60's/early 70's, RV engines were a fix to the problem of FV Supertigres spitting out the crankshaft when they were pressed to high output. Mr. Nelson and others proved that it was possible to make a FV engine that holds together, thereby making the RV engine a footnote in the history of engines.

bob whitney · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2014, 02:18:29 PM »

just to finish this up with a little reality all of the special ingredients in F2C fuel is for distance ,on a 7 cc tank running a larger tank lets one open the needle valve for more fuel and more power as for bigger ventures most of the F2C diesels wont get off the ground with out the rich start . but all is well as i found an old Rossi that fits the same mounts so dont need to build a new perky ,just make room for the front venture see u at Brodaks

Fred Cronenwett · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2014, 04:49:37 AM »

Here is a link on our Lafayette Esquadrille CL club web page that talks about the Perky's, it has links to the rules and other information

http://lafayetteesquadrillecl.wordpress.com/lafayette-esquadrille-cl/cl-models/perky-speed/

Fred