vertical grimmace

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Thanks, Combat. I hope it flies OK.

Yes, electric starters are allowed for 1/2 A. Although I can get the Profi to start right up cold, I have not figured out what they want when hot. I will have my handy old Norvel electric starter handy.

If you look at the combat rules at the AMA website, it also show a low power 1/2 A class. Sort of a reedy class. still on 35' lines.

iron eagel

VG it should fly fine, just depends how close to the edge you set it up for.

combatpigg

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Jeff Rein is the fastest 1/2 A Flipper I've ever seen and he uses an empty syringe to blow out the engine if it died rich.
Those props are so light and tiny that you really need to supply all the cranking momentum. There is a local guy who hosts 35 foot TD combat, but truthfully a lot of the old contests we held in the wet and cold came down to who could get his engine started and rack up the most solo air time points.
http://www.clcombat.info/doubletrouble.html

vertical grimmace

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Well, I got the maiden flights in today. They fly great. Turn super tight. The ready to fly weight is 8 0z., and the area is 320 sq. in. That should tell some of the story! I do not think I have ever flown a tighter turning combat model. THey are a touch tail heavy, so on future builds, I may cut the boom down a bit. I can slide the engines forward as well. Just in time for the 1/2 A world championships in KC next weekend! The speed of these 1/2 A's on 42' lines is 80 mph (they call it this because 1/2 A is an American event) Will be flying speed limit as well, 75 mph.

iron eagel

Best of luck in KC!

combatpigg

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One thing I've experimented with is using just 1 bolt to secure the engine mount to the plane. The idea is to create a Crumple Zone. It's just an idea that's never been tested in a match but I've tried it at home [it happened by accident].
I wouldn't dream of trying it with .36s..........

vertical grimmace

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Thanks Iron! Getting everything packed now. One thing is for sure, CL combat is a blast. The most fun I have ever had with model airplanes. It is not nearly as intense inside the circle as it looks outside.

aspeed

Maybe one bolt, and a nylon bolt behind it.Back in the 1960's there was a Bamboozle with a piece of bamboo fuselage, and siding aluminum brackets to hold a corrugated cardboard wing. Kind of an early SPAD. I made some stuff like it as soon as I learned about the coroplast maybe in the early 1980s. Anyway, the plane had a bolt going horizontally through the rear of two brackets that the motor was bolted onto. The front of the mount had rubber bands to hold it tight. It would give way in a crash, and the bamboo would hit the ground rather than (or after) the motor. It had two planes, one was a trainer, and one was a combat. I think a .35 or at least a .19 was used. I have not seen the article for many years, but am pretty sure I may have it still. The magazine may have disintegrated by now.

MJD

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January 1960 MAN, by George Xenakis, still looking for plans online out of curiosity.

aspeed

I will look for it one of these days. At least I know the date and magazine. That will save a lot of time.

vertical grimmace

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Well, I got to KC alright. It was an amazingly fun time. Top pilots there. I flew against the now USA team race team, and also the CD is on the F2D (CL combat) world team. I got my butt kicked in 1/2 A, as my planes were not thoroughly tested. Still too tail heavy. But nothing could turn with them! I have had several requests for kits now as well, which is pretty cool. I came in middle of the pack in speed limit combat. The engines of choice for speed limit combat now are the ASP .25, as they can be had cheaply from Hobby King. Plenty of power for a 500 sq. In. foamy. A modern .25 has no problem competing with a .36 of old.

combatpigg

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How do you like the external controls..?
The planes with the big engine offset look like smaller versions of a Lee Liddle Fast Combat design.

aspeed

Around here, the ASP .21 is fairly popular too. Maybe a bit lighter, but still does the 80 mph needed. A weekend of combat can only be good.

vertical grimmace

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Some of the guys were telling me the .21 was just on the edge of not having enough power. Of course this would depend on the size/weight of the plane. They recommended the .25 as you can add a screw to fine tune your speed by restricting the venture size, which is what I have been doing with my .36 foxes.

The red whit e and blue planes are the Minor's Bud lite design. They won with them, and of course they fly very good. Most prefer their own design for 1/2 A, as the Russian stuff tends to hunt a bit. Making them uncomfortable in a match. That is why the long tail moment is preferred. My design will be great after I cut about an inch off of the booms. I also cut down the area of my stabilator.

iron eagel

Not bad for first time out with a new design, once you get them dialed in it should be interesting.

vertical grimmace

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Thanks Iron.

1/2 A was interesting. The planes get beat up really bad. Lots of line tangles and fly aways. I am of the opinion that .012" lines may not be quite strong enough. I am going to use small perfect metal bellcranks from now on (as I had a sig 1/2A nylon shatter), and I am thinking of adding lead outs instead of running the flying lines right up to the bellcrank. Maybe .018". This may take some stress off of the lines at the plane.

as far as external controls, it is all I use on 1/2 A and all of my larger planes. Never experienced a downside, and they are way easy to install and maintain.

combatpigg

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I don't recall ANY flyaways with Cox .049s on .012 line, but LOTS of single line breaks / match over.
It was always the most disappointing thing about 1/2 A [besides being hard to flip start].
I think the planes with lots of side thrust will come out on top more often in line tangles, because the plane with the weaker pull will wrap it's lines around the plane that pulls harder. He'll hit the ground first.

vertical grimmace

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I don't either. But these more powerful engines, bigger, on 42' lines, it seems to be the case. There are grumblings of a shutoff requirement. I think maybe bigger, different lines. Spectra maybe.

combatpigg

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I don't think Spectra [Spideline] is the answer either. I like it for sport flying, but I've had both lines break when the plane cut across the circle.
See how well you can tow .15" steel lines and if it's acceptable...then that could be an advantage.

vertical grimmace

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There would have to be consensus on the line size, as it is not allowed to use different lines at a contest. I will have to cut a set of .015 to see if it is even possible. One thing is for sure, I will toughen up my planes, as I learned some weak spots. They need to be stronger than they had been in the past. They fly really well though, with all of that power.

There seems to be some search still for props. The glass props that are sold by the russians, are very fragile. And the good ole Grish Tornado props are hard to fit because the hubs are too thick. The Tornado props would work good though. I may end up playing with APC props, to find a good size. They might be cheaper, and still be more durable than the glass props.

Of note, even though electric starters are allowed, they were highly frowned upon at the event. Starters were not allowed until the other guy got airborne, otherwise you would lose airtime points. Starters can be very hard on connecting rods if used improperly, such as when flooded. This happens to be the time when they are needed though. This little starter rule did not sit well with some as it was a change from the rule book. But it is interesting that there is a strong feeling of the old times that combat is an engine starting event. If you are not good with engines, you are at a disadvantage. I agree with this old opinion. It makes you a more rounded modeler, and will force you to get over your fear of the prop.

combatpigg

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I think it's OK to go up in line size. I'm pretty sure [but getting old] I've heard of Nelson .36 flyers moving up to .021" while the rule book called out .018"...?

I've tried the Cox black rubber 5 x 3's cut down to a diameter that the engine / plane seemed happy with. They work in a pinch.

vertical grimmace

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I will have to find out, but I am not sure it is legal to have one line size bigger than the other, as it might make it easier to cut away the lighter line. But, I had heard of some speed limit guys using FAI .15 powered models on .015" against the larger .25 and .36 engines using .018. The may be local rules for particular contests. I will check into it.

From what I found out, the Fora is happy with a 4 pitch. And what worked for some is to take a 5 1/2 -4 cut down to around 5 or maybe a little less. I will be doing some prop experimenting over the winter. APC has so many small sizes now, I may be able to find one that works.

vertical grimmace

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It looks like APC has a 4.75"x4, and it has a good shape. I ordered some of those and also some 5-3's. They have a couple of others in a shorter diameter, but I think they may be too small. a 4.5" and a 4.2". At $2 a pop, that is not too bad. Even though the APC will not flex and survive the ground like the Grish props, I am hoping they are better than the glass props. Certainly cheaper, by about half.

combatpigg

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I would be surprised to hear that any 4 pitch prop does better than the 3 pitch.
Be sure to look for signs of bogging down during tight consecutive maneuvers. You know for sure that destructive heat is building up. The model might look impressive [or not], but monitor the engine's temperature.
This is where audio / video is handy to review what you think you just saw.

vertical grimmace

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Here is a speed limit match I was in. I have the beige shorts on. Ended up sticking it in the ground after about 4 min. Andy is a member of the world team. Great pilot.

https://www.facebook.com/cary.minor....7706419107937/