Author: Don Grissom
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/05
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
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Radio Control Combat - 2010/05

DO YOU EVER notice how many times it seems to rain when you want to fly? This past winter it seemed as though each weekend was too windy, raining, or even snowing. One thing you might learn about Combat pilots is that they're willing to fly in some bad weather.

It was a nice change when I picked up the new RealFlight G5 flight simulator from Great Planes. I have played with the other versions, but when I saw that combat is available on the latest edition, I could not wait to get started.

RealFlight G5 simulator

There are three versions of combat on G5, but the best and closest to real RC Combat is the streamer cutting. There are two versions that we fly on this simulator. One uses the Multiplex ParkMaster 3D, which gives a feel like Slow Survivable Combat. This allows for a much smaller arena in which to work.

Gameplay

You start by taking off from the runway. As soon as your airplane is in the air, you begin your attack by trying to cut the streamers off of the other pilots' aircraft.

  • Every time you get a cut, you get 100 points.
  • The person who gets cut resets on the runway and has to take off again.
  • If you crash, you can hit the reset button; that will cost you 25 points.
  • The rounds last approximately 10 minutes.

Even with only two players, you can learn a lot about how to chase another pilot.

I have also flown with the P-51 Mustang, which is similar to 2548 or 2610 Combat. This can be enjoyable but requires slightly more skill to keep up. Most beginners will feel more comfortable with the ParkMaster.

Although the simulator will never take the place of flying real RC Combat, it is a good alternative for rainy days. It is also good for those who want to learn more about RC Combat.

Promoting Combat

Many people ask me how to promote an event. Most of the time it seems as though people want to fly Combat but don't know how to get it going in their areas. Chris Handegard of West Palm Beach, Florida, is one of the best at promoting Combat. He sent me some advice about how to do it, which follows.

RC enthusiasts have written and said much throughout the years about promoting Combat. A fair portion of those helpful suggestions has reached me.

RC Combat requires an investment of effort and a willingness to stick to it when the going gets tough, and the event usually requires a flying site at which to stage contests. It can be difficult to keep the interest alive with a healthy group participating and the essential support of clubs at whose sites these competitions are often held.

Various static displays during the year, such as the booth that RC Combat Association President Bob Loescher runs, feature models, videos, and literature. Representatives at the Toledo Weak Signals show in Ohio in April answer questions and promote Combat interest. You might have seen something similar at a local fair or mall, and Combat enthusiasts visit schools and other organizations.

When Frank Tiano, a major RC event promoter and RC modeling icon, expressed interest in sponsoring a Combat team late in 2007, a long-standing pipe dream of fielding a dedicated Combat show team began to take shape.

Air Combat America

During the last 15 years or so at the prestigious annual Top Gun Invitational Scale contest in Lakeland, Florida, an informal group of Combat pilots gathered to put on a demonstration. It was well received by large audiences during the noontime air show, which was a highlight of the event.

Pilots came from many locations, and sometimes as far away as neighboring Georgia. Often 12 or more aircraft went up at once. We enjoyed the thrill of being part of the extravaganza and were delighted with the crowd's response to streamer cuts and spectacular midair collisions!

Top Gun, a high-profile event, was a fitting venue at which to showcase a Combat team. Air Combat America was born, and the first official show for the group was Top Gun, in April 2007. In addition to the team debut, we flew at several other RC events across the state, from Cape Coral to Fort Lauderdale in the following year.

Using long 60- to 70-foot, 2-inch-wide, brightly colored crepe paper streamers is a good way to add visual impact to the demonstrations. It also increases distance between models and, in theory, decreases midairs.

We still tried to simultaneously occupy the same airspace on occasion, but the team continued to get better at cleaning the streamers off of one another's aircraft while suffering from few collisions. That skill can definitely benefit the competition pilot.

You might be asking yourself how seven or eight pilots keep track of RC airplanes that look alike as they twist and turn insanely around each other in a Combat show. Cover the bottoms with radically different color schemes, and never take your eyes off of your model.

As the 2008 Top Gun neared, Air Combat America gained a pilot for the eighth model: John Harding, aka "Buzzard." Unfortunately, because life intervened, we lost our fourth pilot. The team continued to put on Combat demos at local and regional RC events in 2008, and normally the majority of the eight-man team participated.

One such event was an AMA jamboree in Fort Lauderdale, which fell on a date on which I had a prior commitment that I could not break for the sake of a team demonstration. Without skipping a beat, Air Combat America Co-Captain Craig Buttery stepped up and reorganized things to make the demonstration possible. The team consists of a great bunch of guys, and it has been a pleasure to put on shows with them!

When 2009 rolled around, we lost another member. Eric "the Termite" grew up and put RC Combat down for the time being. His natural talent as a model aircraft pilot coupled with good Combat instincts put him on the winner's podium several times. I will not be surprised to see him come back to it later.

We gained a replacement in Chris Martindale, who held the number-two airplane at Top Gun. Attrition was taking a toll on the airframes, and one had to be permanently retired.

The team also flew for the second year at Kermit Weeks' Fantasy of Flight in the Roar and Soar event in Polk City, Florida. The full-scale aircraft that were displayed and flown, RC models of all types, and an appreciative audience made for an exciting setting as we flew multiple shows each day.

Sponsors and support

Air Combat America would not be possible without the generous support of:

  • Frank Tiano and Frank Tiano Enterprises
  • Peter Goldsmith of JR and Horizon Hobby
  • Jan Scharnell of Air Scharnell Avengers (formerly TeamSeaholm)
  • ZAP adhesives

These wonderful people provide equipment and funding. We team members hope you thank them when you hear any mention of our group.

If you find yourself among the spectators at an event we are a part of, we hope the bug bites you. Give it a whirl and see what you've been missing!

Mission and competition

The Air Combat America mission statement is to promote Combat activity by presenting it to the public. "Activity" in this sense means officially sanctioned AMA Combat contests. Flying in demonstrations and showboating is fun, but the real deal is competition, which is also the problem.

Most Combat contests I have attended don't draw many spectators. Our aim is to put this modeling discipline where it isn't and get those who might not otherwise see what Combat looks like interested enough to try it.

Closing out 2009, Air Combat America had the opportunity to put on a show at the Orlando-area Remote Control Association of Central Florida's year-end Tangerine air show. Since it took place December 27, in the midst of people's holiday plans, I was the only team member who could attend.

When it comes to Combat promotion and competition, don't give up! Quitters make lousy targets. There's no guarantee that any effort will produce more participation. If you do nothing to promote your hobby, there will probably be little or no growth; at worst, there will be a continuing decline in turnout.

Contests with decreasing numbers have less appeal than those with enthusiastic competitors who demonstrate, with their actions, how much they enjoy Combat and wish for more of the same in the future. Suit up and show up.

The Remote Control Association of Central Florida's expressed interest in hosting a contest was not solely the result of a single demonstration. Now a Combat competition is scheduled there for August 2010.

This club's field is favorable for Combat. A large, open flying area slopes down and away from the flightline, so your aircraft can dive and maintain flight below foot level while dodging scattered small trees.

I hope to see you there, and don't forget to frequently check your six o'clock for bandits!

Photos and further information

So where are the pictures of spectacular midair crashes and models with streamers chasing each other? Go to the RC Combat Association's Web site. It contains numerous event debriefs and many photos of competition action from across the country.

This column is about what it takes to promote Combat: people. Thanks to everyone who is responsible for the success of Air Combat America; we're entering our fourth season and still going strong!

This is your personal invitation to get involved in the hobby and have fun with us. Then see if you don't agree that a round of Combat is the most exciting five minutes of RC you can experience!

MA

Sources

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.