RE: NIKON D80 - which lenses for good RC photos ?
Key in all of this, is having a lens with high light gathering capability, like the f2.8 70-200mm VR. I use both the 70-200mmVR f2.8 and the 80-400mm VR for this type of activity, but for obvious reasons prefer the 70-200mm. Still, there's a lot you can do with increasing ISO and as such go for higher shutter speeds. There are other less expensive lenses that will do the trick, like the 18-200 VR etc. It all depends on distance to subject and size of the subject. Smaller RC aircraft are not the easiest critters to catch in action! It takes practice.
In my particular case, using the High Speed Crop capability of my D2X, I decrease the FOV by 2x and get a FOV as if 200mm was 400mm.
PS Vibration Reduction takes care of any movements you introduce when holding the camera, it does not take care of fast moving objects. Only shutter speed and panning will do the trick.