blhollo2

My Feedback: (278)

combat died about in 1998 next up to die sadly enough is pylon racing.

Clean

combat in KC presently is a club sold motor/controller/ speced WWII profile plane. Interest in other forms is minimal as some of the pilots only fly electric now. Combat in KC did die in 98. It died in 2002 10 minutes after I went into my managers office, 2 minutes after he asked how the combat meet the day before went and 10 seconds after he said "we're going to be contracting you from now on". 13 years of service with plenty of pulling their stinking bacon out of the fire, tossed like yesterdays newspaper. Thanks for all you've done but that was yesterday. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Gotta love my severance package too. By law we have to pay you for vacation time you've earned and offer you Cobra coverage.

Anyways, thats when combat died. Not in 98. It was kickin in 98.

Currently Ispend too much time being babysitter for the Grand-daughter to arrange a meet. IF and whe Ido it won't be an AMAdeal. They offer no reason for me to pay them the fees, commit to the work of organizing a contest. Last event I spent in excess of 150 bucks and about 2 weeks of busy time and as a reward, oh Imight get 24 bucks off my AMAdues.

It'll just be an "I;m bringing ribbons to on this day for all that want to play" Couple times we did that we had pretty good turn outs.

No, the AMAreally screwed over the CD and any wishes of my participating with them when they got rid of the Free membership for organized events. Iguess enough people figured out a way to have 'Events' that would get them free memberships that they decided the measely repayment of my dues wasn't worth their interest. AS heartaches and stress are the only beneit of running an AMAsanctioned event, they can keep them. Heck, they'll probably bemaon the fact that they can't get any volunteers. When they decided that they were going to be an insurance agent and not our represntative to the IMAA, they started down the path of being useless, except in trying to figure ways that to fly any model aircraft in America you HAVE to belong to them. Luckily, there is so much land that they can just go jump as to see that happen. Had my local rep complaining about the cost of runninng competitions when they shold be spending money registering park flyers just turn cold on me when I asked 'But, isn't the main purpose of the AMA supposed to be the competition governing body for model aviaiton in America?" His answer was 'maybe we need to get out of the competition business altogether' I told him to make his own damn organization and give me mine back to me. I think he's even higher in the organization now then he was then. Probably jetting around the nation at our expense as we speak.
That Organization drops dead tomorrow I'll shed no tears.

pmerritt

My Feedback: (118)

I SURE HOPE SO! 

DaneMcGee

Good post Gary, one of the few in this thread that makes any sense.

Combat is not dead. In fact, it is far from it.

I just looked at the proposed schedule for the Texas, Kansas area and looks like there will be at least one contest per month next season starting in March with the Lone Star Nats !
There will even be an all day Open B only contest......... and an all day Scale only event that I am looking to host.

Combat is not dead......regardless of what the "used to done's", "wished I was's" and "has been's" say........Keep it positive fellas.

on_your_six

My Feedback: (11)

Tried it once... that was enough.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

It looks as though the Airpark Elite club in Colorado has 3 combat events scheduled for this upcoming summer as well.

Clean

I am a has been, guaranteed.  But I find a statement of tried it once that was enough from a guy with a name of Check Six .

Thanks to some more AMA negotiations, I just got an email from my local club saying that they are disbanding.  Too much friggin paperwork between the AMA and the IRS for the FAA or some bs like that.

So, I'll be out to the Knights field more often.  Since I'm there I'll have to build some more of the WWII FF planes.

GSJames

Well, in that case, all you guys are welcome to come on down to North Texas each month and every month from March to December (minus July/August) and fly combat with us according to the RCCA/AMA rules (SSC, Open B and 2948). July and August contests will be held in Wichita. The entry fee will be $20 for 2 events and we will even throw in lunch. You won't have to worry about judges, because Combat fliers take care of their own. I personally will be CD-ing 2 of the contests and since I was able to donate money to the local host club last time after paying off all expenses without digging into my personal pocket, I'm sure that I will be able to do it again, and again, and again.

So, no, RC Combat is not dead. It is alive and well in those parts of the country where the local fliers and participants care enough to put on the events. It is dead in those parts of the country where those types of people don't exist.

CL AMA .35 size combat IS dead for all practical purposes, but F2D and what we are calling F2D-Fast (F2d equipment with AMA Fast rules) is alive and well as is the sport WWII scale CL combat event in certain areas. GX-Combat (CL) is alive and well in the North East US.

BTW, I grew up in KC, first flew CL Combat out at Swope Park and learned to fly RC at KCRC and Shawnee Mission.

Come fly with us.

Clean

make sure and repost when the dates come up. 

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Nothing like CL combat. It is my favorite thing to do with a model airplane. We flew a lot of the GX rules here in CO for many years. It just dried up though. I still have a fleet of planes setup with Fox .36's, but I do not know if they would fly with the .15's on .015" lines. Nice to see CL combat doing well with an FAI type of class. Then at least we can compete on an international level.
That is one thing that has not been established, is an FAI RC combat event. At least it is not flown in the U.S. Maybe the original 704 event? Wow, I remember the conversion from that beast. Lol! (2610)

tonyob

Do you have links to any youtube videos of similar contests? Would love to see it. Thanks to the answers to my previous question, I've already got a local club member interested in building a spad-gnat. Any other planes or plans to suggest? I'm all ears.

Clean

I think the problem with the FAI event is we tend to like bumper car combat in America.  There planes bump into each other , disintegrate and then they're out of the round while there is still streamer out there.  Therefore they fly a little more conservatively while doing combat.  We on the other hand determined that our planes are going to touch once in a while so we built tanks that could take it, gave them more power to handle it and then continued to vary from the idea.  In other words, we Americanized the event.  We love it, that's the way it is.

However in CL combat those guys were always dedicated to the idea of 1 heat 1 plane.  It's really more about the engine.  They'll have 6 planes and one engine that they swap between heats because an airplane coming back whole after a heat is kinda weird.  It's exciting, it's dirty and the competitors actually wrestle out there while playing combat unlike RC where we stand, gentelmanly 10 feet apart and whisper things like "Good shot, sir" and 'Well Played" while flying.  Never will you hear anything like "You mother was good to me last night" during an RC combat event.

aspeed

For Tonyob. Spad to the bone, free plans site. under the 'list' heading I think, there is a bunch of .15 sized planes. The Getsome, Friday Night Special(FNS), Hell On Rails(HOR), Saturday Night Midget, and Derringer that might be worth trying.As well as a bunch of larger ones. I know there are Youtube videos of the Hell on Rails if you do a search.

GSJames

The best place to find links and official info on RCCA/AMA combat events is forums section of the official RCCA web. Only RCCA members may post, but I believe that anyone can view. The best forum for photos and video links is the "debrief" forum (obviously) www.rccombat.com

GSJames

All RCCA events are listed in the "upcoming events" section of the RCCA website: http://www.rccombat.com/events/index.asp

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Clean, do not forget about the RC combat pilots talking to the judge to convince him of a cut, or two, or three, or four or five! That is one of the main reasons why I got very discouraged with RC combat.

In CL combat, the actual victor of the match is a little more cut and dry. Not to mention honest.

Clean

Oh yea, that asshat!  He ran out of friends I believe.  Happens when you constantly bend em over.

I like how I usually did it, I'd see streamer floating in the air, ask where that came from cuzz my tail was long enough and my judge would say, 'is this a test?  you just did that'  I'd be too puppy dog chaising his own tail excited to even know if I was getting close.  Really, I'd love to stand back and watch me make such an ass out of myself except that its ME and I have to live with it.  Kind of what I did to, well, I'm gonna wait a page or two before I say anything. 

psssst

I think he was just trying to pimp his friends website.  We'll find out for sure tomorrow.  I hope I'm wrong I'd like to see more of his toys.

ctshepherd

My Feedback: (34)

Was digging around in the shop and came across this... think I will put it together and shake the combat rust off. I even have a couple of spare wings laying around for it.

Fly2XS

My Feedback: (65)

So THAT is what its s'posed to look like! Mine still looks like it did when AJ shipped it to me.

(Scoring)

We all remember a 'special' person who convinced his judges that he cut every ribbon up there. One solution was to have an 'experienced' pilot assigned as his judge. One who would only score what he/she saw cut.

For me it was always more for the social aspect as well as the rip-snorting flight action.

ctshepherd

My Feedback: (34)

And done with a 32" wingspan Heinkel no less!

Have to agree with Scott on the social aspect, really enjoyed the banquets at the Nats.

tonyob

That looks cool. What is it? You got links to where I can get plans for that?

Fly2XS

My Feedback: (65)

Isn't that a Seaholm Avenger 8 for Open B?
http://www.teamseaholm.com/
http://www.airscharnell.com/team_scharnell_avenger.htm

It looks like Chris integrated an Orange 6 ch DSM2 receiver.

Cross Check

Hi All,

"For me it was always more for the social aspect as well as the rip-snorting flight action."

Nicely said, and I could not agree more...

There is something about towing a streamer behind a model airplane that is 'Pure Fun' for me.

Getting Cuts is cool, but , having the last streamer left, defending it against many better pilots, and landing with it...

Is really hard to do... Try it !

Puck the Point Systems. (I like Road Hockey too!) CAR!....


aspeed, Dresden is on my 'Bucket List' ! I can get Trafalgar Ales and Meads to sponsor a F2D challenge.
My 'Hot Rock' CL handle is ready. (and my depth perception is better flying CL...)


Take care,
Have fun,
Dave'crosscheck'Fallowfield
Maac 6437
Unabashed Combat Team

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

One of the local clubs does full contact combat with Stykers. They fly each Thursday night during the flying season. There will be 10 to 12 planes in the air at the same time. An informal scoring method was developed and a tally is run for the entire season. Two interesting points I have observed are 1) There is not as much contact as you would expect and 2) They average age of the pilots is real low compared to the average age of a typical R/C club.

DaneMcGee

Yes, that is an Avenger now made by Team Scharnell........Very good proven combat airframe.

Give Frank a holler and he will be glad to help you.