Combat gnat collision
12-15-2003, 07:58 PM
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Combat gnat collision
Sunday brought forth the truly hardy combat flyers at the Newton Sky King's club in Newton, Iowa. Temperatures hovered at 26 degrees with snow and ice on the ground. Several of us came out to do battle with our trusty and tough SPAD gnats. The faster flyers had the venerable OS .15 LA gnats.
One of the major mid-air collisions of the day resulted in one gnat trying to burrow through the other gnat's wing. The burrowing gnat got it's engine stuck in the other gnat's wing and both spiralled (like two joined leaves falling) down to the ground. Not surprisingly, the gnat with the damaged wing was taped up and flown within minutes without any trim adjustments. The cold made the Corplas very brittle and it was the general consensus that had it been a little warmer, both planes would have survived fairly intact
Check out the video at our website called, " the power of a John Deer sticker" at:
http://www.newtonskykings.org/moviesMS.htm#top
PS...the previous day all the SPAD boys flew their gnats in heavy snowing conditions. One question though, where were all the balsa guys :> ?
One of the major mid-air collisions of the day resulted in one gnat trying to burrow through the other gnat's wing. The burrowing gnat got it's engine stuck in the other gnat's wing and both spiralled (like two joined leaves falling) down to the ground. Not surprisingly, the gnat with the damaged wing was taped up and flown within minutes without any trim adjustments. The cold made the Corplas very brittle and it was the general consensus that had it been a little warmer, both planes would have survived fairly intact
Check out the video at our website called, " the power of a John Deer sticker" at:
http://www.newtonskykings.org/moviesMS.htm#top
PS...the previous day all the SPAD boys flew their gnats in heavy snowing conditions. One question though, where were all the balsa guys :> ?
12-15-2003, 08:18 PM
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RE: Combat gnat collision
Its the winter time. AKA Building time or re-building time. That's where the balsa boyz are - in their workshops feverishly spending tons of money and tons of time rebuilding...err... building. [:'(] As I hate building - it takes away from flying so here I's at in my workshop building. One week to go to the next flying day, three planes to knock out. Yea, that's do-able.[>:]
Ed
Work is what you do to earn those green stamps to
trade for your toyz.
And its true! The one with the most plastic IS ahead of the game.
Ed
Work is what you do to earn those green stamps to
trade for your toyz.
And its true! The one with the most plastic IS ahead of the game.
12-15-2003, 08:21 PM
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RE: Combat gnat collision
Yes,
Some of the balsa guys just don't know what their miss'n.
I say, give SPADDING a try, it only costs a few bucks, and if you don't like it afterwards...THEN you can criticize a SPAD
Some of the balsa guys just don't know what their miss'n.
I say, give SPADDING a try, it only costs a few bucks, and if you don't like it afterwards...THEN you can criticize a SPAD
12-15-2003, 08:21 PM
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RE: Combat gnat collision
HAHA! Thanks for posting the photos and movie,emailbanter.
We had a great time flying combat in the snow! The balsa guys just stay at home, they don't get it!!
And true-The John Deere(the yellow Gnat) was still able to fly with a huge chunk missing from it's LE. It was ducted taped up and flew again after this midair and with no trim adjustment!. The white Gnat ,I doubt was flyable-too much damage to the wing, but now-28 hours later, she has a new wing and is ready for more battle!
And all the time, the balsa guys sit at home, building there balsa kits.
Total cost of repair of the white Gnat? You can cut 6 wings from a $7.20 4X8 sheet of 4 mil--$1.20 per wing.
Swede
We had a great time flying combat in the snow! The balsa guys just stay at home, they don't get it!!
And true-The John Deere(the yellow Gnat) was still able to fly with a huge chunk missing from it's LE. It was ducted taped up and flew again after this midair and with no trim adjustment!. The white Gnat ,I doubt was flyable-too much damage to the wing, but now-28 hours later, she has a new wing and is ready for more battle!
And all the time, the balsa guys sit at home, building there balsa kits.
Total cost of repair of the white Gnat? You can cut 6 wings from a $7.20 4X8 sheet of 4 mil--$1.20 per wing.
Swede
12-16-2003, 08:09 PM
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RE: Combat gnat collision
As the owner of the Deere Gnat I can say that it DOES still fly and I have NO intention of replacing the wing I'm going to zip tie the pieces together(top and bottom) and fly it with the chunk gone from the wing as it will make it easier to catch those streamers. I think I need to make me a mousse can muffler now to be able to compete with the O.S La's. Thanks guys! and GO SPAD!!![:-]
