[NSRCA-discussion] ** Klipped to repost ** Equipmentcostandpartiicpation --

[Richard Strickland]

This seems like an appropriate time to jump in with a couple random
thoughts.  Part of why I got in to pattern was watching and HEARING models
do half mile long 4/ 8 point and slow rolls.  Ballistic was the name of the
game as we weren't using very high nitro.  Weight wasn't really an issue as
you had enough speed and weight to carry you through.  I still think back
fondly of Rossi's turning 22,000 rpm on the backside of a split S.  Non
muffled tuned pipes WERE loud-but also left quite an impression.  Our ears
rang for a couple days after a contest.

 I had bought a couple lead sleds-don't remember what they were-snapped one
trying to make it back to the runway after a flame-out and strained another
through a tree.  The first one I built was a black and red Bridi UFO with
its sexy anhedral stab, a Rossi 60(1)?SE turning an 11/71/2 with Kraft
electric retracts.  Glassing everything was fairly popular and I thought
more was more.  Weighed in at a hefty 12 pounds. Wind didn't bother it much.
I think racket equaled power was the impression and as we started quieting
things down with muffled and longer tuned pipes, longer strokes, isolation
mounts and lighter airframes, most guys realized it was in efficiency and
not decibels where the true power was.  I doubt that many of the then
current crop of planes could round out the top of a top-hat without a good
running start-now we round out about anything from a hover on a fairly
regular basis. Pretty cool when you think about it.  And doing it with
electric is not much short of amazing.  Some guys just didn't want to evolve
and quit.

Richard