New Combatant
 

Its probably a bit to early for me to be trying to get into this but the local club is really into combat flying and after watching a few rounds, I'm dying to compete with them! We don't really go by any rules and theres no specific requirements the plane has to meet. So with that in mind, any suggestions as to what sort of plane to go with for a beginner combatant? I don't mind buying someone's used set up, but I do have a set of electronics an engine (.46 Max O.S.) SO, any suggestions? BTW I'm capable of building also. Any suggestions at all? My price range is about $150 but I've got everything to put into it already. I've also heard of rigging together a SPAD for this sort ot thing to! Any suggestions for the noob?

RE: New Combatant
 

You want to be flying what most of the other guys in your bunch are flying. You want to be right there in the middle of the pack for the most fun. It just doesn't work to be a bunch faster or a bunch slower than the average.

r

RE: New Combatant
 

I agree with what Randy said.

I'd also go with a smaller engine than a .46, unless that's what everyone else is running. The larger planes often take more damage when they go in, which is not a good thing.

RE: New Combatant
 

Good call. I'll talk to some of them to figure out a bit more of what their using.

RE: New Combatant
 

I've asked around and everyone is telling me to get a Gremlin. I've read into them a bit and everyone seems to have a positive review about it. However, I can't find anyone that produces it! Anyone know a place where I can find the beast?

RE: New Combatant
 

Check out this website, they have a hyperlink for Gremlin stuff.

http://www.racores.com/ Gremlin info

http://www.racores.com/order_form.html order form

RE: New Combatant
 

Fly what the locals fly and get in some stick time. Maybe you could get one from another club member. I have two os fx .46 that I will not use in combat because they cost too much and weigh too much to fly in sanctioned meets. If that's what your guys are flying, see if you can get a used one to sacrifice. A nearby club had an unsanctioned meet last fall flying with engines up to .47 A few of the contest circuit guys went and cleaned up flying os fx .25 engines with mousse can mufflers. If your .46 has some age on it and you're willing to risk damage, go ahead and use what you have.

RE: New Combatant
 

Damien,
I may have been to your club a couple of times. Is it south of Olympia near a gun club? When I visited that club they were racing Gremlins.

I will be visiting in Olympia again on March 16-18th and if that is your club and there are folks flying combat I'll come out to cheer you all on.

The Gremlin is a great club plane and if everyone is pretty much flying the same plane and engine size it will be a lot of fun. As soon as someone gets serious about competition and ups the performance the fun factor will go out of it for all but the most competitive folks and you will see folks losing interest rather than trying to keep up. Keep it simple and have fun.

Check out www.georgiacombat.com for more information on planes and engines for combat.

RE: New Combatant
 

If you meant north of Olympia, then your right. But we're about as far north west as you can get. This club is right by a gun club but its not south of Olympia. More Gremlin support ^_^


Are there any other guys that make Gremlins/Gremlin equivelant kits other then http://www.racores.com/ ?

RE: New Combatant
 

Damien,

You might try Charles at the Bellair R/C Flyers club http://www.bellairflyers.com/
he has been known to cut the "odd :D" germlin kit. They tend to fly combat every other thursday
June thur the first of Sept. Check their web sight for rules and engine size ( not larger than .30 in open),
or .15 if they get their "rainy[&o]" weather SSC off the ground

Martin

RE: New Combatant
 

Wow, I've never even heard of that club! (Newb) Sweet, I'll look into it. Ugh* rainy indeed. Way to much rain around here >_< Thanks:D

RE: New Combatant
 

BTW their monthly club meeting is tonight Feb 20/06 at the air museum. http://www.heritageflight.org/


Doesn't every club hold their monthly meetings surrounded by a few million dollars worth of restored war birds?:D

RE: New Combatant
 

Damien.

I have infact been known to cut Gremlin like cores from time to time, And could be talked into it again. I'm sure someone up there should have a set of plans and instructions to build from. I could probably set you up with some downspout for the fuse also.



Charles

RE: New Combatant
 

Please be careful with what you folks have been posting. RA Cores (link posted above by cshepherd: http://www.racores.com/ ) is the only authorized manufacturer of Combat Gremlin parts and kits. Admitting in public that you're bootlegging kits and/or parts may not be a good idea. That's just my humble opinion, and should not to be construed as an official RCU statement.

Damien,
You could buy bootlegged Gremlin stuff, but why do that when the original is still available?

D

RE: New Combatant
 

Great! A local deal will make things easier. I'll send a message to you with some questions in reguards to what you can put together.

Good point though. I'm just kinda throwing around ideas and planning before hand. I still night go with RA cores. Just looking at what's avaliable

RE: New Combatant
 

yeah, those are the right websites or email me. I have them ready to ship. There's a lot of them being used out in Washington, I've sent a bunch out there.

As for other's cutting them, not a problem to me. it was an RCM construction article. The only complaint I have is when someone photocopies my instructions and sells them and then i get the complaints. I've got a computerized foam cutter and send out excellent cores and hate when someone get one at a flea market/auction and then bad mouths the quality. i stamp all my core blanks so i can tell if they are mine with an easy question.

So, you can order from me or get someone to cut them locally. Either way. A $35 full kit isn't going to hurt any of us in the grand scheme

The most important thing is to get out there and have a ball.

jim

RE: New Combatant
 

$35 isn't much at all ^_^ I'll order sometime in the near future, not entirely sure when. Maybe once I get some more air expirence. Right now, I'm really just researching my options as of now but do intend to get into combat flying with the Gremlin. I want to get everything lined up and bought (engine, electronics) then get the plane so I can just slam everything together in one sitting instead of having an onverhanging project! I will order through you (RACores) though.

I've decided against using my .46 so the hunt begins for something else! What sort of sizes/types should I be looking at?

RE: New Combatant
 

First your going to have to determine which class of combat the local club is flying

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Indeed! [8D]

Thanks, Jim, for posting with such grace on what could otherwise have been a rather sticky subject.

D

RE: New Combatant
 

You could check for a used os fx 25 on ebay or other places and run a 9x4 master airscrew and be competitive. If you later decided to travel to an AMA sanctioned meet, you would have the right engine to be legal with your gremlin.

RE: New Combatant
 

As has been said by others, having a comparable plane to your local competition is the best choice. Here in New England we fly stock and open classes. Stock is a plain bearing (bushing) .25. Going with Norvel .25s makes them competitive in open class as well. The lighter plane out turns the larger engines. Speed is for running away! I also like my OS .32ABC with an 11x4 prop. Pure vertical but turns nice and tight and doesn't slow down in manuevers (but illegal for our local "stock" class) The whole reason we standardized on OS .25FPs originally was to level the playing field and have it be skills rather than wallet.

RE: New Combatant
 

Hey Jim and Darin,

Just wanted you to know I was simply trying to help a local Target,,, Er uhh I mean Pilot into the air to share the fun. This was not any type of ploy to to start selling Gremlin kits.

So lets all keep it fun and help thy fellow Target,, Dang,,, Pilot.

And if you are ever in the Bellingham area stop by for a couple rounds,(Combat or otherwise) I could sure use a good whoopin.

Charles

RE: New Combatant
 

No problem. Haven't advertised since 1994 and the orders still come in so the plane speaks for itself. I appreciate you speaking up and protecting the interests of manufacturers. Eric Henderson, the designer, is here in the forums as well

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FWIW the whole club would like to see Charles get a good whoopin :D. (at R/C Combat )

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Like I said, I don't have anything against anyone cutting cores. I do have problems with the instructions being copied as a guy in kentucky was doing. Left in my phone number and turned out sh!++y cores. The people I talked to weren't happy but we solved that problem. Kind of a lot of hassle for him for the sake of about 20 kits. it was actually a local law enforcement person that contacted me about it after seeing my kit in an R/C Report review. You never know what might happen. And as I said, I mark my cores to identify them