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Thanks for the new forum! - 12/8/2001 11:29:00 PM   
astrohog



Posts: 377
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I sent a message to the admin. last night suggesting a combat forum, and I wake up this morning and it is done! GREAT JOB!!!
Our club started flying combat this year and it has been one of the most popular events in the history of our club (since I've been involved, anyway). We had a lot of spectators that said it was very exciting to whatch, and we had an average turnout of 10 - 15 members/flyers every week! I sure am looking forward to spring when the weather gets better and it starts all over again! Most of the guys are flying Gremlins or what we call "yard darts" which are pretty much PVC downspout with a wing strapped on. I started with one "yard dart" last year and after a mid-air in the second week, I started buiding Gremlins. It was a real eye-opener as I realized I was gong to need a steady supply of airframes to continue competing! It was all I could do to keep the production line going after work and between changing diapers just to have one or two planes ready for the next weeks combat session! (read LOTS of mid-airs!). I am planning on starting next season with at least five airframes and lots of spare motor mounts, servo trays, ailerons and vertical stabs ready to make quick repairs! Combat has been an awesome addition to our clubs' events and has really brought a lot of our members closer. It has also made me a better builder and flier. if your club has not experienced combat, I suggest that you all try it! I know it sounds like a lot of work and expense, but it is really quite reasonable for a guy to get started and in my opinion, a very rewarding aspect of this hobby/sport.

Jeff
       Post #: 1

Thanks for the new forum! - 12/9/2001 1:34:01 AM   
gubbs3



Posts: 1403
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Coon Rapids, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Combat seems exciting. Could you give an overview of some of the rules regulations you must follow to compete? I don't know of any combat events around here and since I'm just getting into planes I probably wouldn't get into the action quite yet.

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 2

Rules and a question - 12/9/2001 5:07:06 AM   
ALAN-RCU


 

Posts: 59
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: LYNDEN, WA,
Status: offline 		A rules overview can be found at http://www.rccombat.com/asp/rules/rules.htm That is a good site for some basics. Open class B is up to .30 size and has a weight limit.

We also have started flying combat at our AMA club in Lynden ( North of Bellingham ) and are just itching to mix it up with another club. Combat is a total blast - no question about it.

We fly gremmlins and also cut our own cores - cheap and easy. A great place to get started and buy a complete plane ready to assemble is http://www.racores.com.

On the subject of planes, has anyone ever flown a Tufflight predator?

Al

_____________________________

Somedays the bird sings, some days it just chokes up worms.

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 3

Thanks for the new forum! - 12/9/2001 8:15:10 AM   
gubbs3



Posts: 1403
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Coon Rapids, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks very much for the info.

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 4

Re: Diapers! - 12/9/2001 9:30:56 AM   
maverick



Posts: 1575
Joined: 11/29/2001
From: Alameda, CA, USA
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]Originally posted by astrohog

It was all I could do to keep the production line going after work and between changing diapers just to have one or two planes ready for the next weeks combat session![/QUOTE]

Hey astrohog,

I didn't realise comabt was so scary you guys need to wear diapers?

Only kidding! A few of the guys at my club have combat planes, but they have never really flown them with streamers that I have seen.

I think it would be a blast to have a go at though.

_____________________________

Maverick: "Too close for missiles, I''''m switching to guns!"

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 5

No moderator????? - 12/9/2001 9:30:53 PM   
John B



Posts: 329
Joined: 12/5/2001
From: Lynden, AL, USA
Status: offline 		Seeing as it was Jeffs Suggestion, why not nominate him ?


Flying combat is a blast, got so bad about it myself everytime I flew any of my planes I had to stop myself from runnin down others planes, always lookin for a streamer.
I belong to a couple of clubs, trying to get some inter club combat going this year. Im really looking forward to it.
John

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 6

Thanks for the new forum! - 12/9/2001 9:37:08 PM   
John B



Posts: 329
Joined: 12/5/2001
From: Lynden, AL, USA
Status: offline 		"I am planning on starting next season with at least five airframes"
Remember to number them to your radio this year Jeff!!!!
could not resist.
John

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 7

Combat Spars - 12/9/2001 10:56:10 PM   
ALAN-RCU


 

Posts: 59
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: LYNDEN, WA,
Status: offline 		I am wondering if anyone has come up with

A) a suitable spar method without going to the time of making and installing the specified pine ones from the plans. They seem to be time consuming to build and install. I use fibertape on the outside, but have tried arrow shafts as a spar and that seems to work well. Any other ideas? I'm simply looking towards faster assembly, and also refer to the next point . . .

B) it seems that I blow wings but my fuse is always OK after a mid-air. Looking towards swapping wings faster, there must be a better way than the nylon screws. How about rubber bands ( or as us Canuks say "elastics"?

Sorry to get technical - but you know - us combats types are always engineer wannabes!

_____________________________

Somedays the bird sings, some days it just chokes up worms.

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 8

Thanks for the new forum! - 12/10/2001 12:50:35 AM   
astrohog



Posts: 377
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I use the pine "blocks" as short spars/wing joiners and I also run the whole wing (once it has been joined) through the table saw to make a groove for 1/4 x 3/8 full-length hardwood spar. i also use #10 x 1/2" truss head sheet metal screws to attach the fue to the short spars. My planes seem to hold up very well in a mid-air. No damage past the 1/4 x 3/8 spar (only to the leading edge). Never had a wing/fuse separation, either. Now that I have given you all of my "secrets" when are we going to start the inter-club rivalry?

Jeff

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 9

Wing damage - 12/10/2001 1:17:49 AM   
ChuckAuger



Posts: 5134
Joined: 12/5/2001
From: Pampa, TX, USA
Status: offline 		If you are suffering wing damage back to the spars, try cutting a groove in the LE and gluing a dowel rod in the LE, this helps a lot. Some guys are using FG rods, also. I groove my LE with a soldering iron, very quick and easy.


_____________________________

Breaking the Speed of Sound, Straight Down!

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 10

Thanks for the new forum! - 12/10/2001 1:36:30 AM   
astrohog



Posts: 377
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I've been using 1/4" dowel on the leading edge, but I use titebond polyurethane glue and just glue it to the flat leading edge. To hold it in place, I use 2" masking tape wrapped completely around the dowel and attached to the top and bottom of the leading edge. The polyurethane glue "foams" enough to fill the void, when it is dry and I remove the tape, I have a perfectly (more or less, good enough for combat standards) shape leading edge that is very strong. The mid-airs that I have been having seem to be direct head-on hits, so something has to give. I had one mid-air where we hit head-on and stuck together with my prop embedded in the other guys' wing. We were falling out of the sky like two birds tangled up and fighting. I was jamming the sticks around, trying to get unstuck, when we finally broke apart. I was actually able to get a little control of the plane before it hit the ground. About the only damage was a broken needle valve and some missing foam! I LOVE THIS GAME!!!
I have also had a buddy of mine come out to the field with his paintball gun and try to shoot me down! It was great fun! I don't think he ever got me that day, but he has since upgraded his gun to fully auto (13 rounds/sec.)! We are thinking of having four flyers and four paintballers out to the field and set up four helium balloons on tethers (airfield, bombing target) and have the flyers try to pop the balloons before the paintballers can shoot us down! Sounds like fun to me! We just have to get all eight people together at a time we won't interfere with other flyers at the field. Anybody else done anything similar?

Jeff

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 11

Secrets & Paintball - 12/10/2001 2:49:27 AM   
ALAN-RCU


 

Posts: 59
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: LYNDEN, WA,
Status: offline 		Chuck,

Good advise - i'll try to experiment. Do you still use the standard spars?

Jeff,

We do have dedicated space for combat 24/7 except Saturday afternoons ( that's when the gun club skeet shoots ). Anyone can combat without affecting the regular field operations. I like the idea of a leading edge spar. If it was one continuous piece tip to tip, I might try to incorporate a way to use rubber bands through a hole carved behind it near the fuslage to hole the wing in place. Hope to make a may for a quick and dirty wing change.

I did buy a batch of coloured tape from our shipping supplier - real cheap - and covered my last wing with it lengthwise starting with strips laid parallel to the ailerons. Looks OK, fast and inexpensive. haven't had a mid-air with it though due to engine problems. Ready to go now though and put it through its paces.


I do want to do some interclub stuff. John B can co-ordinate an event(s). Lets call it Airtrash NW.

Al

_____________________________

Somedays the bird sings, some days it just chokes up worms.

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 12

Never had a Gremlin.. - 12/10/2001 3:24:48 AM   
ChuckAuger



Posts: 5134
Joined: 12/5/2001
From: Pampa, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Alan, but I still use 1/4"x3/8" one-piece spruce spars as well as the LE.


_____________________________

Breaking the Speed of Sound, Straight Down!

(in reply to astrohog)
       Post #: 13

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