A View from Broadway

Ken's new Newton-built D Speed plane.

My friend John

By Ken Burdick
November 2021

Yes Folks, it’s true.

You don’t do it alone, and that really is true in the realm of control-line Speed flying.

John Newton, longtime speed champion and U.S. team member decided he would help me. John builds an asymmetrical designed B, C, and D speed plane. He built this one for me just to help me better my Northwest record in D Speed. The engine was hand made by Phil McGee. The tank and prop are also made by John including a head that gave the otherwise tame-sounding engine a nasty snarl.

John has forgotten more than most of us will ever know about setting up, building and flying control line Speed models. Oh yes, for good measure, John constructed a takeoff dolly for the project. If you have ever made one of these contraptions, you will appreciate the effort he went through.

My simple contributions to the project have been to reduce the hole in the pressure fitting and add some color to the model. Mike Hazel and I will take it to Los Angeles in December to see what it will do in the air.

This is likely to retire the venerable Louie Mobile (right) that set the rather conservative N.W. record in D speed.

The new and improved Louie Mobile design has flown at and over 200 mph on 10% nitro, so the two Louies are a little excited about it all. We will take to model to Toys for Tots contest in Los Angeles this December (2021) to see what this beautiful piece of engineering will do in the air.

I recently figured out a problem with the engine ground settings, so with that solved, it was on to a trip to the paint shop. I finished the model with Rustoleum 2x in blue and yellow, a pattern I seem to be repeating. There will be a top coat over the Rustoleum of an auto clear coat, two-part finish.

Thank you, John.