British Tether Car Association

“For the furtherance of competition running”

Since the last article, nearly a year ago, We ran in 2 classes – 3.5cc (Class 5) and many things have happened in the BTCA. 10cc (Class 4). Cars were the very The first being a rather eventful journey competent Denneler/Picco machine of to attend the October 2001 race in Lyon. Roger James, the Stelling/Picco car of I elected to travel by train, as in theory it Heather Robinson, my DJR/NovaRossi and should be a quick and relatively simple Stuart Robinsons Denneler/Picco, now method to get to the meeting. We live 8 sporting a natural carbon/epoxy top body & mins walk from Bristol Parkway station, carrying the number GB002. there are regular trains to London and thence from Waterloo via Paris and Results were slower than had been onwards to Lyon………………..door to door achieved at the Euro Champs in Sweden, (according to the timetables) should take but the Lyon track has different around 9 hours. That was the theory – the characteristics – it is very grippy and has a facts were slightly different! First, the slight waviness, cars tending to fly slightly London train was 40mins late, then my and thus loose traction. However, Stuart toolbox had to be checked in as ‘secure achieved 320kph in practice with the new baggage’ on Eurostar – post Sept 11, car. This was the concluding event of 2001 remember! Due to the delay in retrieving for the BTCA, with a winter in our various it at Gare du Nord, we missed our workshops to look forward to, and many connection to Lyon – the last train of the plans for the 2002 season. day. The night spent on Gare de Lyon is best forgotten, but I was very grateful for As things have transpired, not all plans the company of Steve Turley who had have come to fruition. The plan to rebuild decided to travel with me to view his first my old 5cc car has not yet happened, my ever tether car meeting. We eventually new 3.5cc car did not progress beyond the arrived at the track at 11am on Saturday drawing table and Rogers 10cc car did not morning just in time to have one practice receive any attention due to other (steam run prior to the competition starting. loco related) activities in the James Roger and Janet James and Stuart and workshop. However, Stuart’s 10cc car Heather Robinson chose to fly, which received a thorough rebuild, including turned out to be the preferred option! attention to alignments and front & rear suspension settings plus his own head The event itself was typical in its good design to accept McCoy plugs. Also organisation, excellent food prepared by emerging from the Robinson workshop was Mme Kraznai, and its friendly atmosphere. a completely new NovaRossi powered class Untypical was the weather, which caused 5 car, very neat with a milled bottom pan the abandonment of the second day’s from thick Al. Alloy plate and a nicely racing. Results were decided on the first moulded glass/polyester top. round times and prizes consisted of some rather excellent wines. Our first event of the 2002 season was the Pentecost meeting at Kapfenhardt,

David Giles BTCA August/September 2002 with the usual large entry and excellent Rolf, as many will recall, is a former World facilities. The BTCA was represented by Free Flight Champion , Speed Control Line Stuart & Heather Robinson and June & Champion and highly respected engine myself. This is always an important event tuner. in the racing calendar and in many ways a precursor for the European Championships. Of particular interest and, I believe, being raced for the first time, was the new 10cc Stuart Robinson’s 10cc car performed very MB engine being developed in Sweden. The well, Stuart being assisted in no small designer/constructor being Mats Bohlin, measure by old friend and former tethered who some of us remember from our hydroplane racer Paul-Otto Stroebel. control-line racing days as a very Generally, advice and help is freely given, successful FAI team race flyer, one half which is extremely useful for the British of the Bengstar/Bohlin team. contingent as we have a complete lack of facilities at home. The result was tenth place at a speed of 315.416kph. In the 3.5cc class, I managed a disappointing seventh place at 146.198kph – the only consolation being that everybody else was slower than normal! This was the first time we had seen the results of the rule changes for class 5, so hotly debated in the FEMA delegates meeting in Sweden in 2001.

Two examples of the new MB 10 engine – the one on the lower right is set up for bench testing.

Also involved in this engine project are Nils Bjork, Rolf Hagel and Jan-Erik Falk, all very well known names in model racing circles. With talents such as this, the engine must be assured of success.

Rolf Hagel’s class 5 car to the new regulations – formerly with rear-facing exhaust. Pipe now faces My own particular interest – class 5 – forward & body hacksawed off to give 100mm rear included one of the most interesting, and overhang. to my mind, most attractive cars currently being raced. This is the car of Mart Sepp The original caption for this photograph, as of Estonia. The composite upper and lower published on www.SPEEDMODELCAR.com shells are just about the smallest cross- and written by Nils Bjork was as follows section that will enclose a NovaRossi “Rolf Hagel tested his 3.5cc car. It is engine plus pipe and spur gear drive unit. rebuilt according to Swiss ideas on how dimensions for a beginners car should be. Rolf reports he now feels much younger and quite like a beginner”.

David Giles BTCA August/September 2002 Jan-Eric Falk with record holding 1.5cc car

premises were formerly the town bordello, no doubt kept very busy when the little town of Neuville-sur-Saone was a trading point on the river. The old quay is still visible, and a rather excellent market is still held there on a Friday morning.

Two views of the Sepp car. Note attention to detail at the rear of the body. 210kph appears to Entries for the race were low, but the be the point at which aerodynamics come into whole event was characterised by a very play in this class. See later comments. nice atmosphere and cameraderie. Most meals were taken at the track, with The other car of particular note was Jan- excellent food being prepared by Mme Eric Falk’s 1.5cc World Record Holder. Kraznai plus Danielle Duran, her mother, Rarely does one have the privilege to sister and brother-in-law. Gualtiero Picco, appreciate such precise engineering. as well as being the winner of the 10cc Always noted for the quality of class, was also the champion of eating construction & attention to detail, Jan-Eric snails. There was a mountain of 71 empty is undoubtedly a deserved record holder. shells on the side of his plate – surely a FEMA record! Next event at which the BTCA was represented was the French GP in Lyon The speeds in the competition were quite with yours truly as the sole UK entrant. good. Lyon has always been a fast track, We travelled by car this time, and had a but slightly uneven. Winner in 1.5cc class very pleasant and quick trip. Journey time was my old friend and ace tuner Adi Malik, is approximately 6 hours from Calais to from Munich with a speed of 250.386kph, Lyon. We easily found the Hotel, pre- the 2.5cc class was won by Urs Bach at booked by our friends from the Micox 273.049kph, 5cc was won by Estore Piotti Club. The Hotel we use is very small and with his own beautifully made car with only about 10mins drive from the track. An Picco engine at 288.105kph. Gualtiero interesting fact we gleaned is that the Picco headed the 10cc class with a cracking run of 335.134kph. Class 5 was won by Fanny Krasznai with a best speed of

David Giles BTCA August/September 2002 211.414kph. I finished in fourth place at good to see them back! Also very nice to 204.916kph, after some hair – raising see some friends from the good old U.S.A. moments in practice. The aforementioned notably Nick Tucci, Frank Garzon (well waviness in the track surface gave known speed flier in class D & proto) and particular problems for the class 5 cars, the family Hamill – Charles, Stuart and which have only front suspension and quite Libby. Not forgetting, of course, Rich wide bodies due to the spur gear layout Democh. required by the rules. All cars in the class were noticeably flying, with Werner Amend Although as non-Europeans they could not and myself having our cars turn over. As figure officially in the results, they most entrants are reaching or exceeding certainly enjoyed the chance to run with 210kph, more problems with tail end lifting most of the top cars in the world, and I’m are becoming apparent. My car flipped at sure, learnt a lot about current European just over 211kph in practice. After a bit techniques and trends. of thought, I decided to remove the back end, so literally hacksawed the tail off A complete results listing can be found at (similar to the Hagel car, but only about www.speedmodelcar.com, but the winners in 20mm aft of the rear axle). The stability each class were as follows: on the track was much improved, so this 1.5cc Jan-Erik Falk 256.783kph certainly gave food for thought! 2.5cc Lembit Vaher 273.820kph 5cc Urs Bach 293.181kph After an uneventful run home, it was time 10cc Tonu Sepp 334.574kph to prepare for the next competition, the 3.5cc Andre Luman 237.492kph European Championships in Kapfenhardt. We decided to make this part of our It’s interesting to note that 2.5cc, 3.5cc & summer holiday, which was just as well, as 10cc classes were won by members of the after what I thought was very careful Estonian ‘Dream Team’ from Tallin. They preparation, including repaired body, new are currently the dominant force in the tyres and new tuned pipe, my car, after hobby, and predominately young people. A performing very well in practice, broke its super bunch of characters! back axle (a fatigue failure) so that was the end of my racing for the weekend! Since returning from the Euro Champs we hear of a new 10cc world record by Luckily, Stuart and Heather Robinson had Gualtiero Picco, using a Picco engine, of also entered, Heather placing eleventh in course, at a fantastic 338.245kph and a the 3.5cc class at 202.137kph and Stuart a new 1.5cc record by Alexander Karpusikov very creditable ninth in the 10cc class at of Russia, with his own designed and built 318.043kph. This enabled us to be in the engine at 265.364kph. team championship, but only in tenth place! Next and final event for the BTCA this The event was superbly organised, as one year will be the end of season event in Lyon would expect of the DMMC – it was a on 12th & 13th October. Let’s hope for fair combined effort by the two German clubs. weather and a few more revs………… Entries were high – an average of 34 in each of the five classes – and it was with David Giles. particular pleasure that we welcomed a single entry each from Poland and Romania, [email protected]

David Giles BTCA August/September 2002