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is this combat stuff like a game you play? I am not into planes YET but am into offroad nitro stuff. Someone menchened 'points' and I was wondering

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Combat is when you take cheap airplanes <$20, tie streamers on the back of them, and try to cut the other peoples streamers.

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how do you cut them, and can you giv me the name of one of the planes that are often used? or even a link if possibele? thanks

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Go here and look at the pictures
http://www.rccombat.com/forum_2000/t...?TOPIC_ID=9764

When you're done checking out the cool pics...go to the top of the screen there and click on "home" and you will be at the home page of the Radio Control Combat Association...where you can read for hours about R/C combat!!! :D

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Here is another set of pictures from the recently completed combat Nationals in Muncie, IN.

http://www.rccombat.com/forum_2000/t...?TOPIC_ID=9954

www.georgiacombat.com is another good site. Lou has alot of good information about getting into combat and reviews of some of the more popular kits right now

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Dan,

We will be flying combat in Columbus and in Canton sometime in Aug. We will be doing this just as a demonstration for some of the people that I have meet and some that I grew up with. Do you live anywhere close to one of these cities? I hope to find some pilots that will fly with us.

Bob

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i live in toledo. if you can PM me with the directions, or email them to me. [email protected]

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You may be able to check it out a lot close to home. I will email a friend who lives in Lima and maybe he can set up something for a demo, and YES I will let you know how to get to the field as soon as I can get the direction.

Bob

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Thanks, Id appreciate it

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OK, So I've seen a few combat meets and I think its way cool.... but in the meets I went to the planes were required to be 1/12 scale WWII models....

The kits for the planes I saw run for around 50$ each....

I understand there are different types of combat...
What did I see????, and how do you make a <$20 scale combat plane.... ????

I am familiar with the spads... and they are cheap and durable (which is great) (even though the rest of the folks in my flight circle seem to only be able to crash them...)...but I'd be interested to know if anyone knows of a cheap scale combat plane?
Thanks

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There are a few SPAD 2610 (RCCA 1/12 scale rules) legal designs out there.

However, I would generaly disagree with Combat Addict's definition. Most combat planes do cost more than $20 when bought as a kit.

You can scratch build for a lot less than a kit would cost.

Some of the least expensive and most durable scale kits come from JK Aerotech. Jay Lawless makes a small selection of kits as well that are inexpensive. And there are a several others that aren't coming to mind right away.

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Goku,

MOST combat meets don't use 1/12 scale planes. The most popular class right now is called Open B, where the planes can be any design you want, within some limits. You can read the rules at http://www.rccombat.com.

Another class is SSC, slow survivable combat. You can also see the rules for this class at http://www.rccombat.com.

Scale combat is dying a slow death, because people simply don't want to spend days building a beautiful scale plane only to have it shredded in a midair collision. Most Open B planes and SSC planes can be built in a few hours, and are much more resilient. If they are damaged in a midair, they can usually be repaired quickly. In fact, I flew out of two Open B collisions last Saturday, and none of the SSC collisions we had were fatal.

Maybe you should work on getting Open or SSC combat started in your area. The guys flying scale will have a lot more fun if they aren't squeezing their sphincters every time two planes come within 30 feet of each other.

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What class to fly depends almost entirely on where you happen to be located. In some parts of the country, scale is totally dead. In others, it's the most popular class. SSC is very popular in some areas, and non-existant in others. So check with what other guys are doing before investing in hardware.

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Here's what I use for combat. It's a wonder with OS 25 La on the front.
James

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Thanks for directing me to rccombat.com... Around here we have basically have only done 2610 scale combat.
The Open Class B looks like it has a lot of potential (to get the locals hooked on)... It seems like it has many of the same rules as scale... its has the same weight limits, but allows a slightly larger engine, and admits ANY plane....

SPADS seem like the cheapest, most durable candidate for Class B.... but don't they weigh a bit more than their balsa counterparts?
and as such, wouldn't a SPAD be a bit slower (due to more weight) ? :confused: Maybe I've just seen some heavy spads (mostly just the flat bat though...) (my slow 1/12 Balsa T-6 with a .25 FX flies circles around my buddy's flat bat with a .40 LA in it)

I guess you give and take... either you get cheap/durable SPAD, or faster/lighter balsa (and doesn't fly like a brick)

So I read the SSC rules..... correct me if I'm wrong... you fly with a bigger plane (min. wing and weight requirements.), a smaller engine (a .15 size)... and you fly combat with it?
Does that work out ok? Or does it look like a bunch of sailplanes in a slow motion chase scene... :p ?

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Balsa planes will not last very long, I don't know of anybody in RCCA using Balsa anymore. Most are either foamies or coro jobs.

For Open B, he flatbats, especially the black ones are probably the toughest fuse you can use and keeps the RX, battery and fuel tank protected in the likely event of a mid-air. There are quite a few people using the bats with foam wings and fiberglass spars doing very well in the standings. The Bat Trick is a popular kit that uses a black bat (http://www.hattrickrc.com)

You will probably keep more newer combat pilots if you fly SSC, than Open B. You'll do alot more flying and alot less building...

The SPADS are great starter combat planes, but the coro-wings just don't hold up like they used to...

I am a big proponent of SSC. It envolves more strategy and less lightening quick reflexes, so its more enjoyable than B class for me. While not as quick as Open B, they are far from powered gliders. You'll find your planes last ALOT longer in SSC than in Open B. You'll survive alot of midairs in SSC that would be fatal in Open B.

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Where can I get a black flat bat?

Thanks

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The flat bat is everything that you need for combat. It is a good starter plane and it will keep you at the top if you want. Currently the leader in open B is flying a flat bat with a foam wing. Check out the link below, it has a lot of good planes. Speed in not very important as the slower planes can usually out turn the faster ones. It is only in the hands of the pilots that makes it a good plane. The most important rule is to have fun. If you bring a bird to a combat meet then the other pilots will help you make it competitive. They are the best group of people you will ever meet.

Bob

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Cramer Flat Bats from School-Tech

http://www.school-tech.com/bats3.html

$4.95

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SPADs may be a bit heavier, but they don't explode like balsa planes either.

The average OS.40LA has less power than the average OS.25FX (I own both).

Not so. Go with balsa, and your planes will turn to snow in combat. Go with SPADs and use the proper thicknesses (2mm wings, 4mm tails) and the plane will be competitive with the proper engine.

The 3rd and most popular choice by far is to use foam (insulation type, not that expanded bead white stuff) for the wings reinforced with any combination of rip-stop nylon, fiberglass spars, packing tape, poly tube LEs and/or bi-directional or uni-directional strapping tapes.

The fuse is open for your preference with HDPE or FlatBats being the most popular.

4mm Coroplast tails are really hard to beat for durability, ease of construction and price.

Is the group you fly with still using balsa designs for 2610? Just curious.

D

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Thanks for you input...

Where do you get your foam wings? Do you cut them yourself? if so, where do you get the foam (home depot?)? (either way let me know where to look for the right kind of foam... I have a few extra wings that need fuse's) :)
I've been thinking its about time to learn more about cutting my own foam cores... where do I begin?

For the guys flying 2610 out here, I would say its a prettty even split between balsa and foam.

I see lots of planes at the meets from House of Balsa, Al Culver, Pica, and Gus Morfis. Only seen a few JKA planes... (you'd think there'd be more!)

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www.hattrickrc.com, The good Dr. Evil (Mike Fredricks) can cut most any wing you want. The most popular are the E203 for SSC and Class B, and S8036 which is better for Class B. With shipping there about $10 or so, he can also supply the spars and leading edge material.

I cut most of my own wings. The foam is thicker than the housing insulation you can find. There are foam dealers all over the country, you just have to search for them. Look for insulation dealers, and they have the thicker 2" stuff we use. Most are cut from 40lb Blue Down Hi-Load 40 foam...

Do a search on this forum or the rccombat.com forum for "foam cutting" and you'll have alot to read on the subject..

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Sorry, I was on vacation, otherwise I would have responded sooner. We fly different combat. We use 36 in foam wingspans at our club with 25s on them they haul like you wouldn't believe! If you can get balsa cheap(ish) with the foam and towercote, I estimate the cost at about 15 dollars a plane. Me and my friend are going to build 4 or so. I can buy a lot of the stuff cheaply. :)