26-07-2014, 02:25 AM
After enjoying Pylon racing for a little while I thought I might give large scale racing a go. There are, I think only 3 or 4 events a year The models are not specifically racing models, and for most of the classes they are more like scale models of racers rather than purpose built racers. Most of the classes really don't go faster than a q-500 but because of their size they look quite slow and are in some ways easier to fly.
The racing is quite different too, there is a flying start which works much like the start of a sailing boat race. All the planes are in the air milling around, there is a count down and the idea in to cross the start line as soon as possible after the zero count, do ten laps and then prepare to land. The course is more than 500m per lap so it's bigger than the FAI pylon course but unlike FAI style pylon the pilots stand outside the course and fly around the pylons from there. There are the usual callers and judges.
The classes are quite interesting and not very tightly defined with the entry level class being called Red Bull, the rules say the airframe has to one that can take a 120 size engine and be a scale model of any plane that's competed in a national or international aerobatic competition or the red bull air race. There's a bit more to the rules than that but I'm not going to type them all up, here's a link it explains the other classes as well.
http://www.rcmn.com.au/Aust_F1_LSRCA-201...202014.pdf
I've never been to one of these race days but I imagine it would be quite spectacular seeing some of the bigger classes race!!
The red bull class has so far this year been dominated by the seagull MSXR air frame with an OS 120 special, power plant, Some people might remember the one Wayne had set up for electric power. It would have had very similar performance to IC powered machines flown in this class.
Any way I'd better mention the subject of this thread, I was getting there ...............Ah yes the Harmon Rocket. At the present time you can't for love, money or even a kidney get a Seagull MSXR air frame. So I ordered the next best thing a Seagull Edge 540. These are more a sports aerobatic models than 3D machines, they are a little more heavily built and have smaller control surfaces than you find on a 3D plane. They designed to fly pattern style aerobatics. I managed to get the last one in captivity and a good deal on shipping from the UK but to my great dismay the courier managed to drop a pallet on it and destroyed the airframe completely even before the box was opened.
So after a little bit of soul searching and a good deal of web searching I managed to find something that would meet the class rules and was available and one I could get my hands on in a reasonable time frame. Here it is, you guessed it, the Harmon Rocket. You'll be forgiven for thinking Crikey what is that?? I've never heard of it?? Well neither had I that's probably why it took me a bit of searching to find it
Here's a link http://blackhorsemodel.com.vn/?product=harmon-rocket
It's a scale model of kit plane that is an upgrade of an RV4. The RV4 is a sports aerobatic home built 2 seater, It's been used in heaps of full sized aerobatic competitions in Intermediate and sportsman classes so it fits the rules. YAY !!
It arrived today and I must say it is a really nice kit It's beautifully made, the finish and fit of parts is EXCELLENT!! It's a very nice scale model and it's remarkably light but robustly built at he same time. It's not a cheap kit by any means but I think the value is plainly visible as soon as you open the box. Everything is done nicely the hardware is great, the hinges are superb and it looks like it will go together quickly, even the wheels are light weight. I'm super impressed and would defiantly by another Black Horse ARF !!
Here's the fuse
And the pilot
The racing is quite different too, there is a flying start which works much like the start of a sailing boat race. All the planes are in the air milling around, there is a count down and the idea in to cross the start line as soon as possible after the zero count, do ten laps and then prepare to land. The course is more than 500m per lap so it's bigger than the FAI pylon course but unlike FAI style pylon the pilots stand outside the course and fly around the pylons from there. There are the usual callers and judges.
The classes are quite interesting and not very tightly defined with the entry level class being called Red Bull, the rules say the airframe has to one that can take a 120 size engine and be a scale model of any plane that's competed in a national or international aerobatic competition or the red bull air race. There's a bit more to the rules than that but I'm not going to type them all up, here's a link it explains the other classes as well.
http://www.rcmn.com.au/Aust_F1_LSRCA-201...202014.pdf
I've never been to one of these race days but I imagine it would be quite spectacular seeing some of the bigger classes race!!
The red bull class has so far this year been dominated by the seagull MSXR air frame with an OS 120 special, power plant, Some people might remember the one Wayne had set up for electric power. It would have had very similar performance to IC powered machines flown in this class.
Any way I'd better mention the subject of this thread, I was getting there ...............Ah yes the Harmon Rocket. At the present time you can't for love, money or even a kidney get a Seagull MSXR air frame. So I ordered the next best thing a Seagull Edge 540. These are more a sports aerobatic models than 3D machines, they are a little more heavily built and have smaller control surfaces than you find on a 3D plane. They designed to fly pattern style aerobatics. I managed to get the last one in captivity and a good deal on shipping from the UK but to my great dismay the courier managed to drop a pallet on it and destroyed the airframe completely even before the box was opened.
So after a little bit of soul searching and a good deal of web searching I managed to find something that would meet the class rules and was available and one I could get my hands on in a reasonable time frame. Here it is, you guessed it, the Harmon Rocket. You'll be forgiven for thinking Crikey what is that?? I've never heard of it?? Well neither had I that's probably why it took me a bit of searching to find it
Here's a link http://blackhorsemodel.com.vn/?product=harmon-rocket
It's a scale model of kit plane that is an upgrade of an RV4. The RV4 is a sports aerobatic home built 2 seater, It's been used in heaps of full sized aerobatic competitions in Intermediate and sportsman classes so it fits the rules. YAY !!
It arrived today and I must say it is a really nice kit It's beautifully made, the finish and fit of parts is EXCELLENT!! It's a very nice scale model and it's remarkably light but robustly built at he same time. It's not a cheap kit by any means but I think the value is plainly visible as soon as you open the box. Everything is done nicely the hardware is great, the hinges are superb and it looks like it will go together quickly, even the wheels are light weight. I'm super impressed and would defiantly by another Black Horse ARF !!
Here's the fuse
And the pilot
“The knack of flying is learning how to throw your machine at the ground and miss.”
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your thoughts turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." ~Leonardo Da Vinci