C/LCombat S
pring training: it should beSspring by the time this hits the newstands. I sure hope so. March hasn’t been a bad month on the East Coast, but we’ve only had a couple days that were fly- able. Mostly when it’s been warmish it’s also been windy and/or rainy. When it’s calm it’s cold, and most days have been cloudy. I did get out one day to break in a new piston and liner. I got Bob Oge of Model Engine Special- ties (15477 Owens Road, Hinckley, IL 60520, 815-286-3969,
boge@isp-west.com) to chrome and fit a couple of liner sets for the 25 LA.
It’s more expensive than buying a new set, but I’m hoping the chrome will hold up bet- ter than the stock nickel plating. The stock plating holds up quite well if you never hit the ground but it definitely doesn’t tolerate dirt very well.
I told Bob to fit it for fast running on a Combat plane with 10% nitro and 11:11 cas- tor/synthetic oil. He asked all sorts of ques- tions, but I just wanted something to match the original for continued use in Speed Lim- it. Apparently he’s worked out different combinations of sleeve taper, piston fit, and honing and grinding the parts for different uses. This one came out just right. On the only day since February where it was above 45 degrees. I took it out to the field for break-in. After three runs on the ground, mostly keeping it in a fat two cycle with short burst of leaner and richer set- tings it seemed fine. Using the same setting,
by phil cartier You can reach Phil Cartierat 34 Sweet Arrow Dr, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania 17036, or via e-mail at
philcartier@earthlink.net
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL CARTIER
The late Gil Reedy at Brodak’s in 2001. Phil dug up this photo of his old buddy Gil at one of the first Combat meets at the Brodak Flyin, 2001. Launch by Rick Kopka. May his old friend rest in peace. You’ll just have to put up with it when Phil get all nostalgic; he misses him.
about 1000 rpm off peak the first flight went fine. So I tried to hot start it.
With just a few minutes of cooling off I put 2 ounces in the bladder and restarted it. It
was a bit flooded and took some flipping but restarted easily. I immediately restarted it and relaunched it with a touch leaner set- ting. It ran fine. After that I flew it two more times without touching the needle. It ran within a tenth of a second for two laps. Can’t ask for a better outcome than that. I’m pret- ty sure it will do fine in a match.
More on training
One proven way to advance your skills is to develop a regular training routine. Even if you are just out testing engines or planes each flight can be used for training. Suppose you are testing engines. Allow about three minutes of fuel. Take off: if the motor is do- ing okay, get a timing on five laps (F2D) or seven laps (60-foot lines). Practice a prese- lected skill to work on, something you can do solo. Do that for a minute and a half, then time the plane again.
Some solo skills to practice—learning where the ground is. Don’t use the best planes for this, but something that flies well. The drill is to start in level flight at head high. Climb vertically to a selected height— 45, 60, or 90 degrees.
Rich Lopez launches Chuck Rudner a lap behind Bob Mears. Every second counts, but a bad engine run is even worse. Sometimes the pit crew has to take a moment to make sure everything is okay, even if it means a few seconds of airtime. F2D takes a ton of practice for both the pilot and the pit crew.
46
Fly level long enough to make a vertical dive on the next eighth of the circle. Make the corners as sharp as you can. Then dive vertically at your mark and hit level flight at head high. Repeat for a couple of laps con- centrating on keeping the model flying clean and not overshooting or flying sloppy. Then go upside down and try to do the same thing. Most people find doing climbs and dives from reverse flight pretty tough. Defensive eights: Start an outside loop (bunt) from moderate height and when the
APRIL 2013
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