What would be the best combat bird for beginners that could be used for club combat, cost around $10 to build and be some what durable? I would like to see if it would be possible to agree, or maybe come up with a majority of folks who like one plane. I think this would be helpful in getting more people in to combat. I love the Spads and the Battle Floyds but I do not think that is what we are looking for. Any input would be helpful, Thanks.

Bob

If it is one design, performance can take a back seat (think about that)...if you are trying to get more involved in combat, it will be more important that it be pilot friendly to someone who just soloed and wants to try combat...than it be a high performance ship modeled after what the pros fly. It needs to be able to be built with a bottle of CA and a screwdriver at a max...just a screwdriver would be better. It needs to fly with whatever engines guys have lying around. It also needs to be cheap or free, or best case scenerio, included in the contest entry fee, and built at the field the morning of the contest. I do believe it is possible.

Tattoo,

I am not sure if it is because you replied or maybe I am looking past the obvious, but the plane that you described is either the Saturday night special or the QHOR. If one flyer brought the tools and material and the flyers brought their gear then you could have a combat meet with an entry fee of about $5 just to cover the cost of the materials. I think this is a great idea. As always, I owe you one. Although you know that I am still going to kick butt next Sunday and if you fly against me it may be your butt I have to kick. I am also bringing an extra plane to give away if someone will fly it against us. All that it will need is the radio and receiver. I do this at all the combat meets in hopes of finding some who would like to try combat.

Thanks, Bob

Combat is in two weeks and it will be my tired old FNS that's gonna do the butt kicking

Actually, I wasn't thinking of any spicific designs, just going by experience, what would have gotten me into combat (or get back into it now) years ago, and by what has been successful and not so successful in the years I've tried promoting combat. There is a small percentage of pilots that dive into it and spend money and time on it and are really passionate about it. These are the minority. Here's the biggest thing I've learned. Give or take some starting and some leaving every year...these are the guys already doing it. Promoting club combat. Joining the RCCA. The 10%ers. I have come to believe that combat is already where it's going to be participation wise...in general. Some people think it can grow. I am one of them, but not the way it is now. It will take something drastic...something like I mentioned in my last post. A lot of guys who witness combat think it cool as heck. A very small percentage (the 10%ers) will take it upon themselves to research it, spend money, and get involved....but...hand Joe 90% guy a plane and tell him to go home and hang an old engine on it...and I bet he comes back ready to at least try it. Good in theory...but the way things are now..he comes back...but the bar is so stinkin hight that he is obliterated and slaughtered and destroyed, and never knew what hit him. Kind of hard to convince Joe 90%er to come back. Tell him he needs to buy new equipment, or learn new building techniques, or buy an expensive airframe, or a new high powered engine etc...etc...and yes, you'll get a 10%er (some come and some go every year)...but all the Joe90%ers are long gone.

Now, tell Joe that for $15 (includes lunch) he can enter the contest next weekend. Tell him to scrounge up an old engine and bring a radio. Tell him not to worry about a plane, they are provided as part of the entry fee...and he will be shown how to build it right there at the field. Then tell Joe not to worry about getting creamed...everyone else will be flying the same plane. I personally think you'll interest a lot of Joes.

Here, here. Bravo Tattoo, well said !


-R

Hey Tattoo! I'm interested.... signed "another Joe"

The HOR's are pretty hard to beat. tough as nails and will survive alot of club combat.

Only change to mine is I shorten up the length on the fuse to 24", which might be too extreme for new combaters. And I recommend foam wings. I also bury my gear in the wings to decrease the chance of damage to rx and battery from a mid-air.

I've gotten several new guys started on combat this year by handing them HOR's to fly... The flatbats are another good option, just a tad harder to build, but not by much. These protect your gear very well.

Nothing like losing a RX on the first outing to lose guys fast!

I have watched the Combat thing a few times and think it would be an absolute blast. I wont be doing it anytime soon. Do you wreck your plane every time out?? How often do you destroy your motor and flight gear??
Dan

Fishmasterdan

That is a very common fear and very understandable. It really depends on what class you fly. The new SSC class uses low cost .15 powered engines like the OS 15LA or Magnum 15XL, both are under $60.

Of course, alot of people fly informal combat and just tie streamers on their tails and go after it and fly till all the streamers have been cut, no rules, no time limits, a blast and a very good way to get into the sport.

In SSC class, we fly the .15's with 8x3 props, which keeps the speeds below 50mph. This is important to decrease the distructive mid-airs that are apart of the sport.

the important parts of the plane are the engine and rx. Most fly the alsolutely cheapest servos possible, like the tower 12 for $100 specials. This along with building the planes with armor and protecting the rx from mid-airs helps keep the costs very reasonable. There are some weeks where I go without getting more than a prop cut or two on my planes, and other weeks I destroy several planes in one day.

The secret is building VERY cheap airplanes. like the spads that cost about $10 per airframe. These planes are built of foam, plastic and other durable materials that are put together to survive most mid-airs and keep flying. So a distructive mid-air usually only costs you $10. If the airframe is destroyed or unflyable, you take the rx, servos and engine and just transfer it to a new $10 airframe.

Don't even think about flying your balsa specials in combat, it will be turned into a pile of scrap wood before you know it and will discourage you before you even get started....

R/C combat is very additive, and will make boring holes in the skys any other way seem very boring by comparison. I haven't flown a sport plane in over a year since flying combat, and I fly just about every weekend!