Two contestants battle it out in 1/2-A Combat at the 2014 Bladder Grabber. Flying Lines photo.

Northwest Control-Line Combat

This page is for articles and columns on Northwest control-line Combat model flying, and links to Combat-related websites.

Your contributions of articles, photos and links for the Flying Lines website are welcome. Contact the editor.

Articles

Pacific Northwest Combat flier Greg Machen of Belfair, Wash., won the FD2 World Cup competition recently in Muncie, Ind. he World Cup is a preliminary event to the Control-Line World Championships. Pictured are (from right) Greg Machen, first place, Andrey Nadein, second, Cary Minor, third, and Aimee Olson. See results chart. More information can be found on the Miniature Aircraft Combat Association Facebook page. Michael Willcox photo.

New! Combat at the 2025 Jim Walker Memorial Spring Tune-Up See article

New! Gene Pape's December 2024 Miscellaneous Stuff column: Building the Raunchy from a Vintage Performance Models kit >>

New! Combat at the 2024 Fall Follies See article

New! 2024 Canadian Combat Graffiti report See article

New! Northwest Combat legend Dan Rutherford dies See article >>

New! Combat at the 2024 Northwest Control-Line Regionals See article

Combat at the 2024 Jim Walker Memorial Spring Tune-Up See article

Restoring a McFadden Creamsicle See article >>

Gene Pape's October 2023 column: Revisiting the past with a restored Voodoo
See Miscellaneous Stuff

2023 Fall Follies Combat report and photos See article

Austin Minor wins 2023 Bladder Grabber See article >>

Combat Graffiti 2023 See article

Combat at the 2023 Northwest Control-Line Regionals See article

Combat at the 2023 Jim Walker Memorial Spring Tune-Up See article

<< Combat legend Norm McFadden dies See obituary

Gene Pape's December 2022 column: Cleaning engines, buying on eBay, oils See Miscellaneous Stuff

Combat Legend Riley Wooten dies Dec. 16 >>
See articles:
Combat Legend Riley Wooten by Ken Burdick
Combat's First 20 Years: Riley Wooten

<< Wow! What a Vintage Combat construction project! See article

New! 2022 Fall Follies Combat results See article

New! 2022 Bladder Grabber results and photos See article

NW 15 Fast Combat starting procedure changed, engine displacement corrected by NW ballot See article

Read June 2022 edition of New England Combat News

2022 Northwest Regionals Combat report and photos See article

Read May 2022 edition of New England Combat News

2022 Jim Walker Memorial Spring Tune-Up returns after pandemic See article

Read March-April 2022 edition of New England Combat News

Read January-February 2022 edition of New England Combat News

Read December 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Read November 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Robert Smith sweeps 2021 Fall Follies Combat See article

Read October 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Read September 2021 edition of New England Combat News

<< Maywald and Monoboom win Bladder Grabber 42 See article

The T-Square challenge! See article >>

Read August 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's June 2021 column: More on batteries, and a simple Fast Combat plane See Miscellaneous Stuff

Read July 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Change in Vintage Diesel Combat engine rule approved for 2021 See article in NW Rules section

Read June 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Read Spring 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's March 2021 column: Covering models with laminating film

Buzz Wilson's March 2021 column: Construction notes for electronic launcher See Musings from the Combat Pits

Buzz Wilson's February 2021 column: Electronic Combat plane launcher
See Musings from the Combat Pits

Carl Berryman obituary See article >>

Gene Pape's January 2021 column: Fly Me

January-February 2021 edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's December 2020 column: Trainers and test stands

Read December 2020 edition of New England Combat News

The Combat plane and the fir tree See article

Read November 2020 edition of New England Combat News

Read October 2020 edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's September 2020 column: Covering a vintage model with exam table paper >>

Gene Pape's August 2020 column: Cleaning up an ugly engine

Read August-September edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's July 2020 column: Tubing, glue, props, etc. See Miscellaneous Stuff

Read July 2020 edition of New England Combat News

Remembering 'The Match' – and the respect See article

Gene Pape's June 2020 column: Fly by yourself with the Combat launcher See Miscellaneous Stuff

Read June 2020 edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's April 2020 column: Batteries, vintage Combat construction See Miscellaneous Stuff

Read May 2020 edition of May 2020 edition of New England Combat News

'Combat Monster' Don McKay dies See article >>

Read April 2020 edition of New England Combat News

Gene Pape's March 2020 column: Try this at home See Miscellaneous Stuff

Read Winter 2020 edition of New England Combat News

Read December 2019 New England Combat News

Building notes for the 1/2-A Monoboom See article >>

Read October-November 2019 New England Combat News

2019 Fall Follies report and photos See article

Historical article on 1979 Combat trends -- 1979 See article in Northwest CL History

The Hobbins Hobbies Nemesis 2 kit See article

H&R Shutoff now available in five event styles See updated information in Flying Flea Market

Read August-September issue of New England Combat News

Mike Evans wins Bladder Grabber 41 See article >>

Buzz Wilson's August 2019 column: A propane-powered starter horn in Musings from the Combat Pits

Combat Graffiti 2019 report See article

Read July 2019 issue of New England Combat News

Read June 2019 issue of New England Combat News

2019 Northwest Regionals report and photos See article

Mark Hansen's May 2019 Cognitive Modeler column: Officiating Combat

Buzz Wilson's April 2019 column: The Combat stooge revised
in Musings from the Combat Pits

Read May 2019 issue of New England Combat News

2019 Combat season opens with a damp Jim Walker Memorial See article

Buzz Wilson's March 2019 column: New tools! in Musings from the Combat Pits

The Yeti and other kits from Hobbins Hobbies See article

Buzz Wilson's February 2019 column: Modifying line ends for Speed Limit Combat's new rules in Musings from the Combat Pits

Spring 2019 edition of Britain's Combat Flyers Association newsletter in Charlie Johnson's Competition Newsletter section

Approved! 80mph Combat line diameter set at .018 for all planes See article

How to build Russ Hester's internal line-tension shutoff See article

Buzz Wilson's January 2019 column: Combat 60 years ago in Musings from the Combat Pits

Building the 1/2-A Monoboom See article

Buzz Wilson's October 2018 column: The perfect stooge table in Musings from the Combat Pits

Gene Pape's October 2018 column: Unexpected directions See Miscellaneous Stuff

Combat at the 2018 R.F. Stevenson Raider Roundup See article

Combat's First 20 Years 30th installment: Combat photo scrapbook Vol. 2

Bladder Grabber XL report and photos See article >>

Combat at the 2018 Stunt-a-Thon See article

Combat's First 20 Years 29th installment: Don Boleski

Combat Graffiti 2018 report See article

Combat's First 20 Years 28th installment: The Woodchopper story

2018 Northwest Regionals report and photos See article

Gene Pape's May 2018 column: Should we consolidate? See Miscellaneous Stuff

How to make a venturi for your Combat Graffiti plane See article

<< Closed-door negotiations at the Jim Walker Memorial contest See article

Buzz Wilson's April 2018 column: March Madness trip and trauma in Musings from the Combat Pits

A trip to March Madness See article in Gene Pape's Miscellaneous Stuff

Gene Pape's March 2018 column: New lessons, old lessons in Fast Combat technology in Miscellaneous Stuff

Buzz Wilson and Gene Pape: The madness of contest preparation in Musings from the Combat Pits

Gene Pape's February 2018 column: Getting the most out of the Fora .049 in Miscellaneous Stuff

Combat's First 20 Years 27th installment: The Rudner family

Buzz Wilson's February 2018 column: All about bladders for 1/2-A Combat in Musings from the Combat Pits

Combat's First 20 Years 26th installment: Combat photo scrapbook Vol. 1

Combat's First 20 Years 25th installment: Bob Nelson

Buzz Wilson's January 2018 column: Fora 1/2-A engine bearing problems in Musings from the Combat Pits

Combat's First 20 Years 24th installment: Year 1961

Buzz Wilson's December 2017 column: A safety thong you can't miss >>

Combat's First 20 Years 23rd installment: Doc Passen

Combat's First 20 Years 22nd installment: Year 1960

Gene Pape's latest column: Scattered focus, and what to fly at the 2018 Regionals? See September 2017 Miscellaneous Stuff

Combat's First 20 Years 21st installment: Burton Goldsmith

Bladder Grabber XXXIX report and photos See article

New! Buzz Wilson's August 2017 column: Small tools for the Combat field in Musings from the Combat Pits

Combat's First 20 Years 20th installment: Year 1959

Combat's First 20 Years 19th installment: Gary Frost

Combat's First 20 Years 18th installment: The years 1957 and 1958

Combat's First 20 Years 17th installment: The year 1956

Combat's First 20 Years 16th installment: Bill Tucker

Combat's First 20 Years 15th installment: The Transition Years

Combat's First 20 Years 14th installment: Barry Baxter

Combat's First 20 Years 13th installment: Carl Berryman

Combat's First 20 Years 12th installment: Don Boleski

Combat's First 20 Years 11th installment: Riley Wooten

Combat's First 20 Years 10th installment: Simpson family Combat heritage

Combat's First 20 Years ninth installment: Larry Scarinzi

Combat's First 20 Years eighth installment: John Wright

Bladder Grabber XXXVIII report See article

Combat's First 20 Years seventh installment: Bill Netzeband

Combat's First 20 Years sixth installment: Frank Pisz

Half-A testing and bad bearings See Article in Buzz Wilson's latest Musings from the Combat Pits

Combat Graffiti 2016 report and photos See article

Combat's First 20 Years fifth installment: The Broadway Bod Busters in Combat section

Gene Pape's latest column: Frayed lines, stiff wings and little engines See May 2016 Miscellaneous Stuff

Combat's First 20 Years Third installment: Jim Ribar

<< Combat's First 20 Years Second installment: Rich Lopez biography

Gene Pape's column on Finishing the Demon, fun with combat, ASP engines See February 2016 Miscellaneous Stuff

Combat's First 20 Years first installment: The Early Years (1950, 1951 and 1952)

New Regular Column! Read Neil Simpson's Combat's First 20 Years

New Regular Column! Read Gene Pape's Miscellaneous Stuff

Chehalis-Cup Contest No. 2 ends 2015 Northwest Combat eason See article

2015 Bladder Grabber results and photo gallery See article >>

<< Guess which Northwest combat flier just got married! See article

2014 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 4 report and photo gallery See article

Buzz Wilson tells The saga of the lost Nelson in Musings from the Combat Pits

2014 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 3 results See article

2014 Bladder Grabber results and photos See article >>

2014 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 2 results See article

Flying the Wido Satan See article

2014 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 1 results See article

The Wido Satan project -- just for fun combat See article >>

Building the Missourian from an Umland kit See article

New! Bob Mears Combat Museum photo gallery See article

New! Scratch building a plane for Combat Graffiti See article

Part IV of Buzz Wilson's computer-controlled foam cutter construction project See article in Musings from the Combat Pits

Living in the past! Combat Graffiti 2013 report and photos See article

Dawson three-peats as Bladder Grabber winner! See article

2013 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 2 report and photos See article

2013 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 1 report and photos See article

Machine defeats man in Diesel Combat! See shocking article! on Broadway Bod Busters page

Combat Graffiti 2012 report and photo gallery See article

Bladder Grabber XXXIV results and photos See article

2012 Chehalis Cup Contest No. 3 results See article

Part III of Buzz Wilson's computer-controlled foam cutter construction project See article in Musings from the Combat Pits

Canadian American Diesel Combat Challenge results See article

Chehalis Cup Contest No. 2 results See article

Third installment in Combat legends series remembers James Mears See article

Chehalis Cup Contest 1 debuts new two-event format See results article

Combat legends series continues with Riley Wooten interview See article >>

<< Series on Combat legends begins with Carl Berryman interview See article

Relive the old days in Combat Graffiti event See article

Part II of Buzz Wilson's computer-controlled foam cutter construction project See article

Bob Smith wins both ends of Combat season-ender See article

The Nekked Chicken: How to Build Jeff Dawson's 1/2-A Combat plane See article >>

Change in 80mph Combat speed limit rejected See article

McKay, Smith top Oct. 1 Combat meet See article

Bob Smith wins 2011 C-Cup championship See article

Dawson wins Bladder Grabber XXXIII See article >>

Bob Smith wins C-Cup Contest 3 See article

Jeff Rein wins 2011 C-Cup Contest 2 See article

Bob Smith wins 2011 C-Cup Contest 1 See article

Taming the nose-heavy Combat plane See article

Northwest fliers score high in 2010 national Combat standings See article

New rules to be used for 2011 Chehalis Cup 80mph Combat series See article

<< Beaver State Combat Team sweeps Bladder Grabber XXXII See article and photos

July 31 Vintage Diesel Combat results See article

Bod Busters at the 2010 Nationals See article

Small airplanes for Vintage Diesel Combat See article

Half-A Combat Day results and photos See article

Gene Pape wins Chehalis Cup Contest No. 2 See article

Bladder Grabber 2010: Kill a Beaver, save a tree See article

<< The Chinese Take-Out Bag pit box See article

Jeff Rein wins Chehalis Cup Contest No. 2 See article

Setting up the Sharma engine for Vintage Diesel Combat See article

Ken Burdick winds 2010 Chehalis Cup opener See article

Two rules changes approved for Vintage Diesel Combat See article in NW Rules section

The best D-Bat plane? See article on the Dominator

For new Combat fliers: What do I fly? What do I need? Where can I get it? See article in Musings from the Combat Pits

<< How to fabricate a jig for building Vintage Diesel Combat Planes See article in Musings from the Combat pits

Northwest fliers dominate MACA rankings in 2009 See article

Making the Salter combat/speed handle See article in Musings from the Combat pits >>

Updated! Setting up the OS Max 25FX for 80mph combat By Buzz Wilson

Jeff Rein report on U.S. Combat Team Trials See article

Jeff Rein undefeated in Chehalis Cup series See series overview article

Chehalis Cup Contest No. 4 results See article

Line diameter change proposed for 2010 80mph Combat See article in NW Rules section

New! Jeff Rein wins Bladder Grabber XXXI See report and photos

How to trim a combat plane (or any other CL plane) See article by Don McKay

New! Combat Monster wins fast at Nationals See article

The advantages of 1/2-A Combat See article by Don McKay

Chehalis Cup No. 3 and Vintage Diesel Combat contest report See article

Changes proposed for 2010 Vintage Diesel Combat rules See article in Northwest Rules section

Chehalis Cup Contest No. 2 and Vintage Diesel Combat Opener results See article

How to build the new, improved "Buzz Box" Combat pit box See Article in Musings from the Combat Pits

Northwest fliers swamp MACA Top 20 See article

Chehalis Cup and 1/2-A Opener open contest season! Full results article and photos

BBB's revolutionary F2D shutoff research See article on Bod Busters page

Coordinated combat schedule updated for 2009 See article

A View from Broadway: Global Combat Change See Article in Bod Busters section

How to build a Vintage Diesel Combat plane See article

Construction article on R&B Rip-Off multi-event combat plane See article and photos

New! 80mph Combat rules change defeated See article in Northwest Rules section

New! Changes to Vintage Diesel Combat rules approved See article in Northwest Rules section

Report on Arizona Combat Clinic Link to full report

Combat jargon explained See article

80 mph Combat engines made easy? A saga. See article

Clinic reveals high-performance 80mph combat clinic secrets See article

Chehalis Cup speed limit combat series announced for 2009 See article

Secret combat research detected See update to Combat Comeback Summit article

Critics rave about Diesel Mania event! See article

Bladder Grabber pre-contest quiz: Match the quote to the flier and win a prize! Full story

How to build a combat plane launching stooge See article

Broadway Bod Busters at the Northwest Regionals See article

Broadway Bod Busters at the Houston World Cup See article

Combat summit mounts threat to Bod Busters Combat teams' comeback reported

Spice up your combat life: A new F2D Web site See article

Secrets of getting a good combat prop See article

Using F2D airplanes in 80mph Combat See article

Michael Willcox selling F2D equipment See price list

F2D shutoff controversy: Blame Jeff Day!

An F2D (FAI Combat) primer by Ken Burdick

The winningest combat plane of all time? Read about the Sponge 80

How to convert centripetal shutoffs to line-tension type See Shop Tips

Does your diesel combat engine run slow? How to fix it in Shop Tips.

New shutoff rule for 2007 Bladder Grabber By Jeff Rein

Broadway Bod Busters Reunite By Ken Burdick

Getting the instant start in fast combat By Ken Burdick

MACA newsletter looking good, membership fees waived for 2006

Northwest CL combat flier dies in Iraq

Combat flying can get a bit physical, as demonstrated by Rich Salter of Seattle, Wash., (blue shirt), who is wrapped up by Ron Columbo of Michigan during the 2006 Bladder Grabber fast combat contest in Snohomish, Wash. Ron Enos photo.

Regular columns

Musings from the Combat Pits By Buzz Wilson

T-Bone's Combat Circle By Gary Harris

Now, here's something different!

Combat flier Jeff Dawson of San Antonio, Texas, shows off an unusual combat-style plane at the 2006 Bladder Grabber fast combat contest in Snohomish, Wash. The plane is powed by two O.S. .15 CVA engines and "goes quite fast and turns fairly tight," reports FL combat reporter Mel Lyne. It uses a single bladder tank and APC props. The plane was built by Stewart Mossman. Ron Enos photo.

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This page was updated April 16, 2025