matchlessaero

In Memphis TN, we used to have many RC speed events each year. My club's contest was called Mister Speed. We had classes for most airplanes. I competed with smaller planes and even slope racers dropped from towplanes. (I even won the tortoise award once with a 1/2A pylon racer at 87mph)

We did not rely on radar guns because they are so terribly inaccurate. Instead, we relied on a tracking-based telemetry system which used stopwatches stopped and started by a simple sighting system. Airplanes were measured for a specified distance after any kind of dive you liked. The only requirement was that the plane not dive through the 'trap'. Records were based on upwind and downwind passes a' la Bonneville SpeedWeek.

The final record holder was a guy you may have seen on the forum called Dickeybird. He had a highly modified Formula1 airframe(thinner wing) using a totally enclosed ducted fan engine spinning an 8 inch prop. I believe his final record was approximately 211mph.

My own Speed record entry is pictured below. It use a fully enclosed, racing modified Cox Conquest 15 running 40% nitro (24-26,000rpm) and a highly modified QuarterMidget wing with an extremly clean scratchbuilt fuselage. My final fastest run was approximately 157MPH.

rsieminski

What prop were you using to get that speed out of a .15? Truly amazing!

matchlessaero

I used the little quarter midget series 7dia5pitch and 7dia6pitch Rev-Up props. I used these as blanks and then carved them for better performance (had to be perfectly balanced).

Additionally, the little engine ran a fully enclosed tuned pipe and a fuel shutoff instead of a carb. The venturi and needle assembly were special.

I still have the engine and plane. I have thought a few times about pulling the thing out and flying it again...... One of these days I will......

The airplane also had no rudder control and no exposed control horns, switches or other protrusions from the airframe.