RADIO CONTROL COMBAT
Greg Rose, 1312 NW 196th St., Edmond OK 73003
THE NATIONAL Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) in Muncie, Indiana, isn't just the premier Radio Control (RC) Combat event in the United States (and arguably the world), it is also a great place for kit manufacturers to show and test their wares.
This year's Nats was no exception. Although none of the manufacturers introduced an RC Combat floatplane—it could have been an overnight success at the waterlogged 2003 Nats—several new designs were seen at the event.
TufFlight Models
TufFlight Models, 5376 Amalfi Dr., Clay NY 13041; Tel.: (315) 698-8103; Web site: www.tufflight.com.
Joe Chovan and Mark Mozo of TufFlight were flying their new Panther design. The Panther is intended for Open B Combat, or, with a five-minute engine change, it can be used with the new provisional Slow Survivable Combat (SSC) rules. As are TufFlight’s Predator and Predator X (Open B) and the Terminator (Open C), the Panther is of all expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam construction.
The Panther is a flying wing with the maneuverability needed to stay competitive in Open B RC Combat. Spanning 60 inches and packing about 700 square inches, the Panther is nearly the same size as the Terminator (60 inches versus 56 inches; ~700 square inches versus 776 square inches), yet it weighs about a pound less than that Open C-class design.
What sets the Panther apart is its ability to switch classes. By unhooking the fuel line and throttle, unbolting the engine mount, attaching a different engine and mount (the mounts position the lighter .15-size engine farther forward to obtain the proper center of gravity), and reattaching the throttle and fuel lines, the switch from Open B to provisional SSC—or back—can be made in minutes.
TufFlight recommends Icarex kite fabric to cover the designs, and the company's website includes instructions for applying Icarex to EPP foam. While visiting the site, check out some of the test-crash videos.
Screaming Eagle R/C
Screaming Eagle R/C, Stan Erwin, 1880 Enterprise Dr. N.E., Suite D, Buford GA 30518; Web site: www.screamingeaglerc.com.
The Screaming Eagle Open Class B Skull Bandit has inspired a smaller version for the provisional SSC class called the Bandito. Powered by a .15 engine, the Bandito keeps the same lines and rugged construction of its larger counterpart.
On the Open Class B scene, Screaming Eagle was test flying its new Go Devil at the Nats. The Go Devil uses the same wing as the Skull Bandit, with the ailerons cut a bit more to accommodate the Go Devil's wider fuselage. The design has a shorter coupled wing and tail, making it more maneuverable than the Skull Bandit. An innovative feature is the locking-box construction of the HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) fuselage, which provides a protected area for vital components. Tucked in that safe area, the receiver, servos, and battery are shielded from damage in combat or abrupt landings.
GRS Models
GRS Models, 36 Antigua Dr., Kenner LA 70065; Tel.: (504) 443-4640.
A veteran of Control Line (CL) Combat, GRS Models has entered RC Combat with the introduction of the proven Falcon 72 in Almost Ready-to-Fly (ARF) form. The 72-inch-span Falcon 72 has been extremely popular on the Texas Combat scene. The ARF version comes covered with ailerons installed; after a few quick steps—taping on the tip rudders, clamping the centerline rudder in place, and installing the engine and radio gear—it's ready to fly.
In addition to the Falcon 72, GRS Models offers the Fora .29 RC Combat engine. These high-performance engines have been popular in CL Combat, and the Fora .29 RC is designed for RC Combat Open Class B events.
Lawless' Kombat Craft
Lawless' Kombat Craft, Jay Lawless, 5117 Bayside Dr., Troy MI 48098; Tel.: (248) 641-7768.
In Scale Combat, Jay Lawless was at the Nats with his new Northrop A-17A design for 2610 Scale Combat. The 52-inch-span A-17A is 10% larger than 1/12 scale to improve the streamer-grabbing action of its slender wings.
Although the A-17A—known as the Nomad in British and Commonwealth service—is not a well-known airplane, it shares many lines with its better-known offspring, the SBD Dauntless dive bomber. The Lawless design is all cut foam with Coroplast tail feathers. While the A-17A battled in the skies over Muncie, a few miles away at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, what may be the only surviving A-17A sat in pristine condition, its bright metal finish dazzling visitors. For a more "retro" Scale Combat look, adding painted wheels would bring the kit back to the original A-17 appearance.
Waverly RC
Waverly RC, Neil Rohrke, 9530 N. 140 St., Waverly NE 68462; Tel. (toll-free): (877) 786-2309; Web site: www.waverlyrc.com.
Neil Rohrke was at the Nats again, flying in Open and Scale Combat. For Scale, Neil brought a European import: the Me 109H V55. A long-spanned, high-altitude version of the venerable Me 109, the V55 kit spans 55 inches and features a full fiberglass fuselage and presheeted foam wings, as with many European imports available from Waverly RC.
Neil also reported a lot of interest in another European kit: the stubby-winged Polikarpov I-16. With its short wings suggesting it would be far from ideal for Scale Combat, the new 30-inch-span I-16 nonetheless appears on several fliers' build lists, although none have shown up at an RC Combat event yet.
That's all for now. Until next time, build straight, fly Combat, and don't forget to check your six! MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
