Musings from the Combat Pits

Line end connector for F2D leadouts

February 2019

By Buzz Wilson

The “store bought” planes from the Ukraine have a unique method of attaching the control lines to the leadouts.

The leadouts have hook. All photos by Buzz Wilson

The pre-made control lines have a small loop.

The loop is put over the hook.

A piece of tubing (not shown in photographs) that is on the leadouts is slipped over the two to keep the leadouts and lines from catching on each other.

In anticipation of the change to .018"  diameter lines for .15 engines in Speed Limit Combat, I needed a way to make lines that will hook up to the leadouts on my F2D models.

I remembered seeing an article online on how to make the connectors. In the article they used a 35mm paper clip for the wire. Off to Staples for large paper clips.

You would think that we would have the technology in the U.S. to produce a quality paperclip. Evidently we do not and have to get them from China. Unfortunately they forgot the quality part. The ones from Staples are coated with a plastic coating that does not easily scrape off. When these are twisted to form the loop, they work harden and break.

I headed to the hardware store for some wire. I purchased some 19 gauge dark annealed steel wire as well as .020" music wire. The 19 gauge dark annealed steel wire work hardened and failed. The next thing that I tried was the .020" music wire.

First I bent a loop in the end of the wire.

Next I took a line sleeve that I use for .021" control lines and inserted the .020 loop into it ...

... and turned the bottom ends up.

The .018 line is inserted into the sleeve. The sleeve is then crimped and the loose ends cut.

The last photo shows the connector before trimming the control line.

When I did a pull test the pull test scale bottomed out and there was no line failure.

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This page was upated Feb. 27, 2019