PylonWorld

In a past Model Aviation R/C Pylon Racing column, Duane Gall presented a proposed set of rules for a new racing class called F1 Sport. It uses .91 2 cycle engines and approximately 25-28% scale Formula 1 airplanes.

You can read more about the class at Formula 1 Sport.

Plans for this Cosmic Wind are available through the link above. A fiberglass fuselage version will also be available soon.

Duane didn't have time to fix up the pics to RCU specs, so I did it for him.

PylonWorld

The powerplant department.

PylonWorld

Here's a side view.

If you looked at the photo on the www.PylonWorld.com site, you saw a clear canopy. This one has a fiberglass canopy, but you can use a clear canopy and put a smiling pilot inside.

Duane says that he wears a big smile while he's flying this plane.

DHG

My Feedback: (7)

Don,

Thanks. And before anybody starts firing tracers about how this is "just another distraction to dilute the entry pool", I want to re-emphasize that it's entirely provisional (see the AMA rule book) and aimed at NEW folks who haven't, wouldn't, or can't run the official Nats classes at their field.

That's not to say that a diehard competitor couldn't have a blast flying it for sport, or put it on the course with some like-minded ARF drivers on a Sunday afternoon. I do!!!

DHG

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Now who would take shots at you Duane?

PylonWorld

I liked Duane's Cosmic Wind so much I convinced him to lend me the molds so I could make some for myself and my friends.

Here is a picture of the first one out of the oven.

It has a 50K Carbon Fiber tow former and stringer structure. I think it added a few ounces, but this is one stiff fuselage.

I went overboard with the microballoons and cabosil in the cowl ring and in the fillet on this one.

PylonWorld

Here is a side view of the other side. I didn't go cabosil / microballoon happy in the wing fillet, and you can see the CF better.

The front cheek cowl was the first attempt. I switched to a different resin, and I also did the second one with single piece layers. I thought the cheeks were so deep that I would have trouble and I used overlapping cloth on the first one. However, they actually lay up much easier with the single piece layers.

DHG

My Feedback: (7)

Don,

That looks real nice! I am SO glad those molds aren't just sitting around in my basement, gathering dust.

So many projects, so little time ... I wonder if you could get a McArthur grant for this kind of thing?!?

Wage Slave

PylonWorld

Thanks for letting me use the molds ... can't wait to get my "Minnow" built.

Hey, if you're a McArthur nominator, I'll take a Fellowship.

Surely expanding the R/C pylon racing community and opportunities would be beneficial to humanity.

There is a great article in the current Flying (or Plane and Pilot) magazine about "Airport Kids" and how they still exist, just in a different way, as technology has allowed them to experience the thrill of navigation, basic aviation skills, etc.

I know for a fact that the really hot young guns in pylon racing are using RealFlight G2 with a certain flying field and certain airplanes to enhance their skills ... think about the future of pylon if everyone who has a copy of RealFlight G2 would take a few minutes and try out pylon racing, and get their kids to try it.

PylonWorld

I had a very interesting call yesterday about the Cosmic Winds. A gentleman called and was interested in what I know about the Cosmic Winds. He's built two RV-4's that use similar construction to the full size Cosmic Winds. I learned some stuff from him, and he learned some stuff from me. It was a quite amazing conversation.

I happened to remember that the 1973 NMPRA Pylon Racing Book had a photo of the French Quarter Special (#7) in the back. He had never seen the photo, which is one of the best side views I've ever seen. I'm attaching it here for viewing, since there was no photo credit or copyright message.

PylonWorld

For some photos of #10, aka Slick, check out this web site: http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazin...n_goodyear.htm

Slick was the first Cosmic Wind to be flown, and it was flown by Herman "Fish" Salmon. As I remember from prior studies, Slick was modified and the turtle deck was replaced by a bubble canopy. It then became the Minnow (#4) for 1948.

PylonWorld

This is a good view of the turtle deck on Slick.

PylonWorld

One thing I did learn is that a Cosmic Wind is hanging in the EAA Museum in Oshkosh. We believe this to be the Cosmic Wind that had an O-320 installed in it. The name of the plane is Mr. Robertson. Apparently, it was one of the original group of Cosmic Winds that were started. It first flew in 1994, and unfortunately the owner/pilot died in a crash in another plane not long after finishing it. This is most likely the Cosmic Wind that I saw for sale in the GA aircraft for-sale rags like Trade-A-Plane back in the mid to late 90's. I almost inquired about buying it. Apparently, the gentleman's widow was encouraged to donate it to the EAA museum.

Ed Smith

Some years ago there was a "1/4 scale" Pylon Racing circuit, I believe it was based around Cleveland. It was called the Loctite series. I raced in it once when a club in Buffalo, N.Y. staged a race.

I used the 1/4 scale Cosmic Wind produced by Joe Bridi. I started off with a .60 two stroke for power, upgraded to 90 four stroke and ended up with 1.20 four stroke. I still have the templates I made, also fuselage, wheel pant and cowling molds.

Ed S

PylonWorld

Ed,

I'll email you about the molds.

One thing I forgot to mention is that the gentleman is researching the Cosmic Wind so that he can build a full sized one.

One thing he wasn't aware of was the connection behind the Cosmic Wind and the Midget Mustang. The two groups that built the two types of planes had connections with both Piper and Lockheed. They were the first all aluminum monocoque Goodyear racers built.

One thing I found out was that over 400 Midget Mustang projects have been started, with many completions. The builder of the Midget Mustang documented the construction, and sold the rights to the plans. They are still available today.

DHG

My Feedback: (7)

We toyed with the idea of flying the Bridi Cosmic Winds around here 15 years ago, but the idea never made much headway. The airplanes were SO big (not slimmed-down like under the proposed F1 Sport rules), and the 1.20 4-stroke engines so expensive and finicky, that we couldn't talk anyone into actually building them, much less risking them on the racecourse. If only we'd had .90 2-strokes and ARFs back then, the outcome might have been different.

DHG

PylonWorld

DHG,

As you know, the problem with the F1 planes as near fidelity scale subjects is that most are pretty fat compared to other types of planes. And the wings are comparatively small. So they don't make real good models unless they are slimmed down. I like the F1 Sport rules because they result in planes that look like real planes, but allow enough license to create decently proportioned models.

I think the USRA 42% giant scale F1 models work because they get closer to the full size planes, and they are significantly over-powered. But at $2000 for a basic airframe kit, it kind of limits them to team efforts. $2000 for any non-human carrying airframe, or $4000 for a complete model is more than I would ever consider spending.

Too much remorse for me. I rate my planes in dollars per flight. When I get down to $2 per flight, I feel pretty good. That's a lot better than $75 per hour (wet) for a GA plane. But I have to admit, I'm a bit smitten by the UltraLight Gyros right now, and I can buy one for the cost of a Giant Scale Racer or turbine model.

DHG

My Feedback: (7)

It never ceases to amaze me how much people will spend to "save" money. We have folks around here who refuse to race because to get through their first season they'd need two $80 engines and two or three $140 airplanes, which might crash. Then they turn around and buy a $1500 giant-scale airplane with an $800 engine, a $200 carbon-fiber prop, $500 in heavy-duty servos, on-board ignition, gyros, etc., and promptly crash it. And yet racing is "too expensive" because ...

PJ_TankPilot

>>$2 per flight

That’s what I used to estimate it cost me for downhill skiing.

I can’t think of any recent R/C model I have had that cost me that little to fly. I might have reached that number 30 years ago when money was worth something.

I recently had a Predator that cost me over $200 per half flight, assuming my labor is free.

PylonWorld

DHG,

I've seen the same thing myself. One of the IMAC guys at one of the clubs I belong to does the giant scale thing. We're talking $2000 firewall forward. I let him fly my Speed 400 pylon plane and he was so nervous, he wouldn't do anything but fly around. Afterwards he offered to let me fly his 40%+ plane ... I didn't even think about it. I could see something failing, and it becoming my fault. But he didn't want to get started racing ... The reason: "It's so expensive". :spinnyeye


PJ_TankPilot,

It's hard to hit the $2 mark with a pylon plane, especially if you race it. Because of my full scale experience, I log flights on planes up to a point. My sport F3D/30 with a .36 in it has over 200 flights on it now. It's right at the same speed as a 424 Quickie. I've let at least 25 people fly it. 3 flew it one flight alone. I did almost lose it on that flight though because one of the pilots decided to get brave and bring it down low. But I fly it every chance I get, and most of the time I'm below 20 feet. I know it's going to bite the dust soon, now that I've talked about its longevity.

Sorry to hear about the Predator.

TallDude.

My Feedback: (2)

I gotta stop looking at these pictures.. I have enough projects to build.. but that sure is a sweet looking airplane!

js3

My Feedback: (3)

This just goes to show that it's never about money even if the new guy says "racing is too expensive." We know that racing is probably the cheapest aspect of R/C competition.

Ok, let me amend the above comment about it never being about money. Maybe John Doe sees spending $2000 on a DA or 3W whateveritwouldbe for an IMAC power-plant as being a good investment while spending $375 for a .40-sized engine would be ludicrous.

"Racing is too expensive" may be the excuse a lot of guys use for not wanting to get started but I think image is our main problem. In their eyes, we're too loud, too dangerous, too low, too crazy, too whatever.

Let's face it. Racing isn't for everyone.

PylonWorld

TallDude,

Once you get one in your hands, it becomes even more irresistable. Unfortunately, some self-imposed deadlines are looming, so I can't start on mine yet. But I'm anxious to get one done and flying.

The fiberglass components are available on a limited basis (for now, anyway).

PylonWorld

John,

You're very correct about that.

But I personally think that trying to coerce people into the current Event Specific Formulas has created a negative mindset for many people who would otherwise find racing to be a lot of fun, and even very affordable.

A well-known person from the NMPRA recently made disparaging comments about 2-pole racing. Why? If it's the easiest entry for some people, I just don't see the problem, except with his attitude.

When I had the pylons up at Charlotte Aeromodelers, even though it was a 3-pole set-up, I taught some pilots to fly the 2-pole course, and to ignore the pylon that appeared between #3 and #1. And the sport racers co-existed just fine with the sport fliers because the pylons were so far out. Unfortunately planting season came and #1 had to come down. But until then, a fair amount of informal racing with trainers, 4*40's, even a Cub, took place. A number of people were very disappointed that the pylons had to come down.

PylonWorld

John,

One other thing. I've been working on a series of documents about getting started in racing.

One of the things I'm doing is a www.600racing.com type of cost breakdown, so that people will have a good idea about the real cost. (Contact them for a Bandolero or Legends cost analysis if you want to see how the real Pro's promote their activity)

Something that a lot of people don't think about is spouse/significant other cost justification. If I crash a plane, to my wife, it is a crashed plane. Unless she wants to grill me on the cost everytime, it gets lumped into "expensive waste of money". Actually MY wife is very good about it, but I know of others who aren't

Since errors are much more likely to happen below 20' in any R/C aircraft discipline, we tend to crash more planes because we spend more time down low. And when you add three more planes on the course, the odds of a crash are much higher.

Some people can't handle crashing planes. When I take my VIP Speed 400 pylon racer out to a club and people look at it, the first thing they comment on is the sleekness, and the second thing is the crack in the stab from a stall on launch on it's maiden voyage (I wasn't the test pilot ). It takes some getting accustomed to crashing planes before one is ready to race. I started flying again in 2000, and my first "real" total the airplane, crash was at the 2000 NATS. But I had gotten used to fixing my landing boo-boo's. I was bummed, but in my case, it was just because I didn't have a backup to crash.

BTW, I believe this topic deserves its own thread, so I'm going to break it out when I get a chance.