The 3rd centralised Open speed meeting was held according to schedule, it is great to be getting back into a regular drum beat with CL speed meetings in 2021.
Lunch break at the 3rd centralised Open Speed meeting.
So first off for the impatient, who won? Well Dick Hart was the winner again with a Sport Jet flight of the ‘Yellow peril’. This model is a consistent winner but I can only liken it to a grotty little angry terrier dog walking down a dirty street but it gets results.
Dick Harts ‘Yellow peril’ winning Sport Jet model 146.50 mph for 97.60% of the record
The fastest speed overall was Dick Hart again with a ‘Hot fuelled’ Fast jet model at 197.52 mph
Dick Harts Fast Jet, highest recorded speed at the 3rd centralised with 197.6 mph
It is fair to say that the competitive CL speed class at the moment is Sport Jet, this is where the main battles of the day takes place and where effort is being expended within a fairly tightly defined rule set, a small advantage will make the difference between top bragging rights and being an also ran.
Some work is taking place within Sport Jet on model trimming and control response, this is being driven by the influx of fast RC pilots who want a model to be very responsive but also to track very tightly, CG positions are moving back on these models but that brings in many cases linked fuelling issues which the RC guys are just starting getting their heads around.
Alternate switchable Uniflow/conventional flow selector valve in Sport Jet tank
Wedge tank styled off of Ken Morriseys Sport Jet tank.
Chris Martindale had a very nice 0.12 powered asymmetric model at the meeting but a control system issue prevented the model flying, this model is equipped with a ‘Super silencer’ that was made by Chris for this project. Chris’s 29 asymmetric seemed to develop fuel surging problems that could only be sorted out back at base. After the above ‘Tales of woe’ Chris was rewarded with a very promising Fast Jet flight using standard Sport Jet fuel at 185.80 mph, given some hot fuel and a good day this model will be a force to consider.
Dick McGladary flew one of his unconventional styled pusher configuration F2G models but design issues prevented a successful flight, Dick has said he will go back to more conventional pusher type F2G models from now onwards and looks forwards to repeating earlier successes in the f2G category.
Ed Needham enjoyed a day away from team racing but his fowl tempered upright Sport Jet model was a hinderance on a day when everything needed to work well to get a placing in the results.
Andrew Watson entered a well tried K&B 40 powered model but small gremlins prevented the model getting a recorded speed on the board.
Ken Morrisey also flew an F2A model which whilst easily getting in the air recorded disappointing speeds by Kens standards, this showed the brutality of F2A where a huge amount of time is required to even keep good models performing to their optimum.
For the last two meetings the results have been tabulated with a new and very functional spreadsheet that has been developed by Chris Martindale, this spreadsheet really is a great compliment to the excellent Transitrace timing system, great work there Chris and many thanks for the effort you put in on developing this.
Saturdays practise saw Peter Harvey make his first successful Sport Jet flights, personal commitments prevented Peter entering the competition on Sunday but he has now committed to flying the rest of the seasons speed calendar at Barton, so we would all like to welcome Peter and wish him good luck.
We saw a number of new model parts being transported from vehicle to vehicle, these included what was clearly a very nice 21N wooden wing with vac bagged glass cloth covering and a new jet wing being loaded into the same vehicle.
All in all another great meeting with a lot of talk of the Speed Nationals which will be held over the August Bank Holiday at Barton.
Next meeting is on the 31st July and 1st August.
Click link below for the result sheet