Best times in Perky Speed - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at The Brodak            

Contestants      Speeds   Places          Engines

Peter Lott         101.3   1   Novarossi 15
Bob Whitney     100.0   2   Novarossi 15
Paul Smith         97.9   3   Nelson FISE 15
Dave Evar          92.6   4   Cox Conquest 15
Carl Shaffer        91.4   5   Rossi 15
Price Reese        86.4   6   ST G15
Don Sopka         60.0   7   Magnum 15

Comments:

Smith opened with a 95 and gradually tweeked it up to 97.9.
Peter Lott brought out a brand new untested model that wouldn't make 16 laps at first.  It was adjusted up to 92 and after several adjustments hit the winning speed of 101.3
Bob Whitney opened with 100 MPH, but despite heroic efforts failed to find any more.
Evar and Shaffer brought out dialed-in models with the Cox and Rossi engines and did their best without any fiddling.
Don Sopka's Perky suffers from a small non-uniflow tank and could only complete the mile by starting rich and finishing over lean.
Price Reese's G15 has the needle range of a carrier job.  He was able to bracket the midrange and win the average.   

I got excellent feedback from spectators who liked the faster and louder Perkys.         

Paul, Thanks for running the Perky. Never thought I would ever compete in a speed event again. It was fun! A couple of small niggles on the report. The Brodak results board had me at 95.something which was my last flight. Of course that still leaves me as 3rd loser! And another thing. My plane, sad to say, was not well sorted.  smacked the ground on the first flight and also broke the up line which gave me an almost complete loop. The plane was not severely damaged so we fixed it up that night and it flew better the next day. Apologies to the motel folks for the epoxy on the bed. (gosh, just like the good old days!).
    I will hope to get back next year and  go a bit faster although I don't know if the old Rossi can get up to 100.   Tom

My plan is to request two seperate events next year, Perky and Clown, with seperate entry fees and three prizes each.  And still keep the "closest to average" award. 

Seven entries in Perky and five in Clown was better than several established events.   

That 101 MPH with an inverted Novarossi perky is going to be hard to beat for the 2014 postal perky event.
Nice to see the perky event had good interest and turn out.
Anyone get any pictures of the perky models at this event?

Peter, could you please, post a picture of your winning perky model?


Patrick

just general info ,the 2nd place engine was a 1970's mk 3 black head goodyear engine

Tom (C. T.) Schaefer's Perky departing on a mission....

Bob Whitney's (RadRacer) Perky

Yes the nose-heavy issue cropped up for sure with mine! With my aircraft completed and covered, but the tailplane not yet glued in, I did a quick balance check and found a seriously nose-heavy state.... So I put +/- 2 oz of lead in the recess underneath the tailplane and it was ok. My Novarossi is 100% stock externally (and internally), not lightened at all like some people do. Being based on a car engine I think it could really afford to lose some weight!
PL

Good idea Bob, the easiest way to do that may be to notch the leading edge slightly. Or, also during construction move the firewall bulkhead forward slightly. How about using a nice light engine like an F2D Fora?
PL