[NSRCA-discussion] F3A Championships circa 1971

Thu Jan 28 10:44:24 AKST 2016

My Dad tested the static electricity autopilot extensively as part of his Air Force RPV project in the 70s. Uses the radium (I think) source from smoke detectors. It is a real thing. The atmosphere has constant static lines above the ground and detectors at the wingtips sensed them and leveled the airplane in roll. Pitch was problematic when placing detectors fore and aft as I recall, because of propwash disturbing/creating static electricity. You have to remember that gyros were the only other form of stabilization, long before the ultra cheap rate sensors that are in every smart phone.  A cheap stabilization system was really desirable. Heck, even in the late 90s, cheap stabilization was non- existant. We were looking for one for a missile program I was managing. Sensors from car airbags looked promising, and led to the current sensors, but didn't mature in time for our system.

Jon

On Thursday, January 28, 2016 Phil Spelt via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:

Jay,

"static electricity autopilot" -- does that use a "flux capacitor" to function?

Where do you get 3-lead battery packs for your Kraft radios?  I have an ancient 40-sized pattern plane ARF (a Dennis Hunt Zimpro kit) called a Capri which strongly resembles a 40-sized pattern plane I had in the early 80's.  It was my first plane with retracts (Kraft electric ones!) which I want to fly with the same Kraft radio I used in that plane.

Phil Spelt, KCRC Emeritus
AMA 1294, Scientific Leader Member
SPA L-18, Board Member
(865) 435-1476v  (865) 604-0541c

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Mike and Phil, For some reason I’m thinking of “Super Fly”…..I flew with Phil I his 2 place Pitts 2B while his pilot flew his full scale design, the Super Fly….In my movie, Marvelous Miniatures, Phil flies his RC Super Fly, his pilot flies his full scale Super Fly, both planes do rolls then Phil lands the model, immediately you see the full scale land and Phil gets out of the cockpit…..etc……that movie has folks like Maynard Hill demonstrating his static electricity autopilot…..lots of stuff in that one which is 45 minutes long…full production.

I too have a couple of working Kraft Gold Medal radios around…they did a great job back in that day.

Jay

From: NSRCA-discussion [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Mike Murphy via NSRCA-discussion
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2016 12:48 PM
To: chuenkan at comcast.net; General pattern discussion; Jon Lowe; General pattern discussion
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] F3A Championships circa 1971

Phil Krafts plane looks like a Kwik Fly 3 or 4. 

Mike Murphy

On January 28, 2016, at 12:30 PM, Phil Spelt via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:

I just made time to watch the vid about the '71 WC!  What an era that was.  Jon commented about flying those planes -- well, we fly just those planes in the Senior Pattern Association.  Despite the bad image we have among you NSRCA guys, we are now enforcing the to-plan building of our planes, and only allow 4-stroke engines and computer radios for convenience and as a nod to "progress". I'm not advertising for SPA, just sayin'...

My comment earlier was those guys didn't have computer mixing to trim their planes with (when someone commented on Strt Inv. Flight as a maneuver).  I still have a Kraft 6-channel '83 Series radio with synthesized channel selection that has been narrow-banded (by KMI) , so I could use it -- but I won't.  ;-{)  It uses the 3-lead battery pack, so I'd have to build a new pack for it before I could fly it.  Anyway, first 60-degree day (next Monday, here in TN) I plan to go out and pretend to be Ron or Jim. lol

I couldn't recognize what Phil K was flying in Doylestown -- what was his plane?

Phil Spelt, KCRC Emeritus
AMA 1294, Scientific Leader Member
SPA L-18, Board Member
(865) 435-1476v  (865) 604-0541c

Thanks for this Scott, Mike, and the guy who made this, Jay Gerber.
I went to that WC with my Dad as a spectator. Amazing to see Jim Whitley, Phil Kraft, and Ron Chidgey at their prime. I remember Doc Edwards, Team Manager, as a super nice guy.
The thing I remember most  from that WC in those days of ballistic pattern was that the Europeans had taken to throttling back on the downline of loops, etc. Not many people were doing that at the time. Most Americans kept full bore all the way around.
As to the simplicity of the sequence, try flying a plane of that period. Limited power, fairly high wing loadings, and fairly short coupled tails made them a handful.
I noticed also that virtually none of the radio equipment manufacturers that I saw in the film are around today. Kinda sad.
Amazing film.

Jon

On Jan 27, 2016 11:42 AM, Scott McHarg via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>
> Here's a video that Mike Mueller posted on Facebook and was produced by our own Jay Gerber.  If you have some time, it's a "swell" video about our past and origins.
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jogGq_L320
>
> Scott
>
>
> Scott A. McHarg
> VSCL / CANVASS U.A.S. Research Pilot
> Texas A&M University
> PPL - ASEL
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