RCU Forums - View Single Post - Build time / repair time to combat time ratio
Old 01-02-2023, 10:26 AM
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combatpigg
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Originally Posted by Old Erkki
Greetings from Finland

I am slow builder it takes about 20 hours to build one WW II combat plane. Some people say that they can build simple combat plane in five hours. Then the work have to be serialised. And usually they are electric versions.

The heat lasts 7 minutes and I am happy if plane survives three heats so one building hour for one minute of combat flying.

Worst case is when having a straight hit and all the pieces fly to different directions and pilot have to search engine, tank, receiver, battery and servos separately. After some not so serious hits plane can be repaired. Broken wing or fuselage can usually be repaired with polyurethane expanding glue. If damage is too serious the it is possible to save and recycle some part like tail feathers, aelerons, engine, electronics etc.


That Dauntless was on the limit. It was possible to repair, but I decided to recycle parts.



Spit was easy to repair just half of hour work and it is still able and ready for next heat. Only problem is. that I kind of love it and do not want lose it.

Old Erkki
Good day Old Erkki.....I think that is a pretty honest estimate of what it takes behind the scenes to get an hour's worth of combat.
The weight and speed of the 15 glow powered models is too much.
I used to fly the AMA 704 semi scale WWII combat "Demolition Derby" style combat at a local club because it was "the only game in town."
When I flew combat at my own field we used 15 PAW Diesels with 8 x 6 props on 4 foot span / 500 square inch styrofoam wings. They fly slow enough to give the pilots time to avoid most mid air collisions and if they do collide at relatively slow tight manuevering speed they usually bounce off each other with minimal damage and keep on flying.
The nest step down in power and size was to use Norvel or AP.061 glow engines on low nitro fuel mounted on 36 inch span flying wings that weighed 12 or 13 ounces RTF.
We found that these engines are not more difficult to handle than larger ones...if we safety wired the mufflers to the engine block and used fuel with at least some castor oil.

Same deal as far as limited damage goes and the quality of the dog fighting was much better than watching 704 style "high speed jousting" contests with a bunch of 80 - 90 mph models .

Just my thoughts....thanks for "weighing in" with your experience and have fun...!