Control Line: Navy Carrier
Wing Loading Revisited: The reason our current airplanes are significantly larger than the ones we flew 25 years ago is that slow speed is important to obtaining a good score. Our airplanes are larger because a lighter wing loading produces a better low speed. I pointed out the performance differences which were evident at the Nats in my last column. Because slow speed has a predominant role in determining overall flight score, the majority of our models are now built to a 44-inch wingspan limit. Because wing loading is determined by dividing weight by wing area, there are basically two ways to decrease wing loading: You can build a model lighter, and you can build a model larger. Building lighter has its limitations, and experience has shown that the best improvement in performance comes from building larger models.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
Fox Mark VII Combat Special: The Fox Combat Special has always been a good engine for Profile Carrier. The latest version, the Mark VII, is available direct from the factory. It can be purchased with a carburetor, and if desired, a left-hand crankshaft. Competitors who have worked with the Mark VII report that it is an excellent engine with very good performance potential, and is light in weight. The traditional dimensions of the Fox Combat Special have been .800-inch bore and .714-inch stroke for a displacement of .359 cubic inches.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
Mystery Airplane: Because of the time it takes to assemble and print each month's Model Aviation, I will not be able to provide winners' names for the Mystery Airplane competition until four months after each drawing is originally printed. However, rather than keep you in suspense for that long, I'll let you know the identity of the airplane in the column that succeeds the drawing. Please remember that identifying the aircraft does not ensure that you are the winner - unless you are the only entry with the right answer. Winners are selected from among those who correctly name the aircraft.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
Mystery Airplane: If you took the hint from the last column about weird aircraft likely being French designs, you were off to a good start for identifying the mystery airplane. I first saw the Aerocentre N.C. 1071 about 15 years ago, and it took me quite a bit of looking to find three-view drawings and enough additional information to confirm it as a carrier aircraft qualified for our events. I never gave serious thought to building one, but doing the research was quite enjoyable. The N.C. 1071 (I never found any reference to a name, only the number) was the first multiengine jet aircraft built by the French at the dawn of the Jet Age 50 years ago. It first flew in October 1948, so I included it in the Mystery Airplane contest as an anniversary remembrance.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
There hasn't been a Nationals Control Line (CL) Navy Carrier competition like this one in quite a few years! The weather was about as close to perfect as it could get; the competition was outstanding; there were Carrier modelers that haven't been seen for a while-a few new models and some very old ones (in Class I and Nostalgia); and there was lots of excitement, including two records. Navy Carrier flying started on Thursday, July 16 with Profile. Terry Herron from Paola, Kansas had processed a new Judy, which had shown great high speeds in competition earlier in the year. Dave Rolley Jr. (Bennett CO) and Terry Kirby (Farmers Branch TX) had a couple of F4F Wildcats, and Ted Kraver (Phoenix AZ) brought out the only twin entry, a Grumman Tigercat. Many of the models had been seen at previous Nationals.
