Geoff Combs designed the LA-1 the LA-2 and the SL-1 and SL-1A

If I remember correctly he named the models after his daughters.

Laura Ann type of thing. I don't know for sure their names but I had a conversation with him and he told me. I was just a kid flying the planes.

I flew the LA-1 and LA-2 and also had an SL-1. These were very good models.

The SL-1 was also the basis of the Summit 120 by Ivan Kristensen.

The LA-2 was designed after the SL-1 I believe and it was designed around the plug in wing. It was larger than the original LA-1 and the LA-2 was actually one of the larger 60 size ships. The LA-2 was pretty much in the last generation of the 60's before everybody went to the YS 120's. The LA-2 was done to take what was found with the SL-1 and apply it back to the 60 size planes as many were still flying the 60's and 61's like the Hanno and YS 61 Long Stroke.

I had 2 of the La-2 and loved the plane. I wish I still had one. They flew really well for the time. HP was at a premium on the LA-2 as it was bigger than most of the era running the 2 strokes.


I am getting older but my memory is still semi intact. Below is a photo of one of my LA-2's this one was built by Chuck Smith in Casper Wyoming. Being a poor college student I was lucky enough to get it from him. Then I built one of my own later on. The Yellow model is the LA- 2 and then the other is one of Geoff's SL-1's.

Troy Newman