Control Line models

[Spitfire]

Here's a bit of stuff I posted on the Vulcan site a while back - it shows how I got started in the model making hobby and what I used to do as a teenager many moons ago

I learned on on a Veron Colt with a Heron 1cc - then various own design rat racers with PAW 1.49s - but I then moved into own design 1/2 A and FAI Team race with Oliver Tigers and Eta Elites - competed in the British Nationals at age 16 & 17 but never got past 2nd round . Also had combat models of Warlord and September Warrior - but didn't really have the apptitude for the frenzy of that - see below

Control line team racing is much much harder than it looks - controlling the model and avoiding the other pilots and models is hard work - plus the obligatory re-fuelling pit stops - a hard jerk of the down line cuts off the fuel and that is then reset by the pit man who refills from a pressurised tank on his arm

Each team has a judge (seated at the pit) and he counts laps and has a stop watch - so a 70 lap race is just you doing your laps as fast as you can which is down to model design and speed + piloting - then add in the complications of overtaking the other 2 models, which is very hairy at speed, and then the compulsory refuel pitstops where the pitman has to catch a moving model by the outboard wing and refuel it and restart it as fast as possible.

Many things conspire against you - in this race the blue teams motor starts running rough and he has to land an extra time to get the pitman to tweak the engine settings - then the pitman can miss a catch - also there is a height pole and you cannot overtake above a certain height as this would mean your circuit that lap is shortened which lowers your overall lap time - adrenaline flows freely

Times are then totalled and your aggregate time puts you 1st 2nd or 3rd against your opponents in that round.

I remember the command 'Gentlemen - fill up and stand up' the pitman then stands whilst the pilot crouches ready - then its one flick start and away.... hopefully

Very exciting when you are in it but I understand it may seem a bit boring to watch unless you are involved


Then if you think they seem hard to control try one of these at full chat Some speed models are controlled by mono line for less drag and it has to be twisted to get up and down control - It lifts off from a dolly undercarriage that drops away after take off Listen as the engine runs rough as rats till the tuned exhaust pipe cuts in and then away she goes


Or even these total nutters in combat models - very very high powered engines in a disposable flying wing - the object is to cut your opponents streamer in as many chops as possible - not just one cut - more cuts = more points how do they do that I tried it once and ploughed the model in in about 2 seconds How do they stop the lines getting tangled
Stick with it - the engine runs for a few seconds before they get going


Just a bit of nostalgia for me which I thought may be of interest - I'm all electric radio controlled models now as you've seen.

[Wedgy]

Interesting stuff

Loving the "dances" in the first 2 vids. Could you explain to us all the nature and name of said dances? I know the 2nd vid is some form of pole dancing, but the first video with the 3 blokes is most entertaining

[Spitfire]

You probably all find this very boring judging by the response the first time round

But I just found this which shows off the skill of the pit man in a control line team race

Granted watching the pilots is a bit boring ..... but link that with what follows below.......

At the start aim to get it in the air with one flick only - at the compulsory pit stops catch it with one hand from what is basically quite a fast speed - refuel it from a pressurised arm mounted rig - remembering to keep the inboard wing tip on the ground so you don't foul other landing pilots with your lines - and aim to get it back in the air with one flick again

Good stuff and very exciting ..... well I think it is

[Saracenman]

sorry, i just don't get it!

one question - WHY?

[Spitfire]

I REALLY don't believe I just read that

Those lads have got more skill / dexterity / ability / bravery and any other superlative you care to name than Barbara Hepworth has in her little toe nail ..... and you say .....

'I don't get it' - and 'why' in the same post

If this is an SM wind up then I'm falling for it hook line and sinker as this is probably a subtle way of getting me to acknowledge the skill etc in the rocks with holes in

I shall say no more - except to say I wish I had their skill and ability - cos I can already use a hammer and chisel

[Saracenman]

how i wish it were a windup Spitfire!

i CAN understand the concept, but just don't really see where the excitement comes from, particularly from the most recent clip you posted!

sm

[Spitfire]

How can it NOT be exciting

You have 3 teams of 2 - trying to get the fastest time over x amount of laps - to add 'excitement' you have to have 2 compulsory pit stops to refuel.

So there's this missile hurtling round at 150 mph - at an allotted point the pilot cuts the engine with a quick jerk of down elevator (dangerous in itself!!) - he has to judge where to stop the engine to get to his pit man at the fastest possible point without gliding too far.

The pit man catches the plane with one had out of the air as it passes

Time with the engine stopped and on the ground is dead time - The pit man then refuels the plane from a high pressure unit on his arm - resets the spring loaded auto cut off - restarts the plane and sends it on its way - in seconds

How can all that NOT be exciting

Having flown team race as a pilot I can tell you adrenaline is indeed brown

Rules are very strict and very heavily policed ... pilots cannot fly too high as that shortens the lap circle and reduces lap times - can't fly too low as that endangers pit men - can't 'whip' the plane - that is pull it around with the control handle - must overtake within those rules - cannot impede another plan overtaking - man its bedlam - and so exciting it hurts

Ok - I will admit its a passion and hobby of 40 odd years and I can't understand people drowning maggots and playing any silly ball games for fun and or money .... so its the same I know ..... I just thought you might appreciate the sheer skill and precision in the clips .... obviously not .....

Your loss

BTW - things going wrong can be interesting.... in the first post is a speed model - those engines do phenomenal revs - 30,000 and upwards .... single bladed balanced props - once I saw a guy fly too low - break off the blade and the engine keeps running but with no prop to spin it races higher and higher up the rev range - and he can't stop it ..... the piston melts - and glues itself to the cylinder liner - seizes to a dead stop - and promptly explodes with the inertia Very loud - very expensive - but also very funny

Hey ho -- hobbies I guess - you always support and defend your own

[Saracenman]

well i have to agree with you regarding maggot-drowning and many ball games, especially football - none of them are my cup of tea at all

i just really can't see where the excitement comes in when standing huddled in the middle, watching model aeroplanes zooming around in a circle! if the aeroplanes were radio controlled, following some kind of course (a la miniature Red Bull Air-race), then yeah, that has appeal, but on the end of a cord???

i used to take my daughter to Crystal Palace Park quite often, and there were usually folk with radio controlled cars (very rapid ones too!) on a miniature circuit. they had pit-stops etc, and it was fascinating to watch - i often toyed with the idea of taking it up myself, but never did. had those chaps had their cars on the end of a length of string, only going in circles, i would've died of boredom, i have NO doubt!

as for your aeroplanes on string - you have to admit, it does look a little daft does it not?

sm

[Spitfire]

But I suppose its because I see it as the quintessential beginning of model flying as it is today - control line came WAY before radio - and its where I learned about the engines and aerodynamics.

Team racing was just brilliant as an introduction to learning about tuning the engines to maximum performance - getting the models right (spending days under the kitchen tap with vim polishing the surface of the wing to a HIGH gloss to get more performance) ....... just huge fun - when you are doing it ..... and no where near as easy as it looks I can tell you.

I havn't flown control line for some 30 years now although I still own a couple

Doesn't look at all daft to me .... hobbies eh - funny old things

[Saracenman]

well quite - I'm sure you wouldn't get an ounce of pleasure from driving around in an armoured personnel carrier would you?

need a STRONG bit of string to keep THAT under control, believe me - and it doesn't need enforced engine stoppages either, she's quite capable of providing them all by herself

sm

[Spitfire]

well quite - I'm sure you wouldn't get an ounce of pleasure from driving around in an armoured personnel carrier would you?

need a STRONG bit of string to keep THAT under control, believe me - and it doesn't need enforced engine stoppages either, she's quite capable of providing them all by herself

sm

OOOhhhhhh I don't know so much - they ARE machines after all - and they work - and they're noisy - and powerful..... think I'd prefer a tank though - love to drive one of those

and I have quite an affinity for the Alvis engine ......our wedding car was a 1920s Alvis 12/50..... this is not it but something like it ...


Went to an Alvis rally in my youth - in a Speed 25 ..... saw ALV 1 S and ALV 15 parked next to one another

AND saw Douglas Bader drive up in his and saw him walking about on those 'tin' legs - incredible man

His bonnet mascot was a Hurricane .... nice

[Hungry Haggis]

Whats this whats this a 2 pony thread , .long time ago did the control line flying both in the open at a local park ,during club flying and also on private land where we had an open space with buildings all round ,took the outboard wing of several times can't do it now to fast get disorientated RC tried got to expensive can't follow them in or send controls the wrong way ,result pile of debris on ground .Armored cars played with them off road ,I sometimes got to play with an Abbot Self propelled 105mm Weapon or a Challenger tank & it's transporter but have given that up to noisy and as had major surgery on shoulders tillers to hard to move for me now. .So can see the best of both .

[Spitfire]

had those chaps had their cars on the end of a length of string, only going in circles, i would've died of boredom, i have NO doubt! sm

You were saying.............

[Saracenman]

a bit like Indy-car ovals, just even MORE boring!

[RLN]

Can't you two kiss and make up?

[Saracenman]

I'll tether myself to him with string and run around him in circles - that should be enough to placate him

sm

[Dan4th]

[-x

I'll tether myself to him with string and run around him in circles - that should be enough to placate him

sm

It ALSO ought to make for a very amusing Video!!!!!

Danf.

[RLN]

That sounds vaguely pervy.

[Spitfire]

Well with my gammy leg I havn't run anywhere in years.....

So .....SM.... lines are normally 35ft long .... that means I'm the pilot and stand still in the middle .... you stand 35ft away at the end of the lines ..... I can control you now..... so when the flag drops you run round me at 100 mph
Oh - and don't forget the 2 compulsory pit stops for refuelling - have you ever been refuelled in 3 seconds at very high pressure

Who's videoing

[Saracenman]

three-second refuel? can we do this in a pub beer-garden?

100mph? divinity knows no bounds!

[Xplumberlives]

Divinity MY ARSE!

[Spitfire]

three-second refuel? can we do this in a pub beer-garden?

100mph? divinity knows no bounds!

MMMmmmm - nothing so palatable as beer

33% Ether - 33% Paraffin - 33% Castor Oil - 1% Amyl Nitrate ..... lovely stuff

[Xplumberlives]

three-second refuel? can we do this in a pub beer-garden?
100mph? divinity knows no bounds!

MMMmmmm - nothing so palatable as beer
33% Ether - 33% Paraffin - 33% Castor Oil - 1% Amyl Nitrate ..... lovely stuff

So let's stuff some up his arse!

[Saracenman]

.....150mph good enough for ya?

[Xplumberlives]

.....150mph good enough for ya?

Is that the speed you would reach whilst expelling the ingredients listed above?