Year-end recap
by Don Grissom [email protected]
We are starting another year of RC Combat and it looks to be a great one.
This past year we saw the Texas fliers begin flying Limited B, making this category one of the more popular Combat events in the country. The Texas pilots held the top spot in points for the third consecutive year. Dane McGee (Greenville, Texas) was last year’s top pilot in Scale and Open.
There was an increase in events in 2014, which bodes well heading into 2015. A new event growing in popularity is Gnat Combat; it was flown at many gatherings last year and was included for the first time at the 2014 Nats. Participation will likely increase because the airplanes are easy to build and are a great way to get more people involved in Combat.
Last year was the 10th anniversary of 2948 Scale Combat, and it is flown by many clubs across the country. There are still no kits on the market for this class, but I have seen many new designs being developed by fliers in Texas. If you have never tried Scale, give it a go — it’s a great way to recreate World War II–style Combat.
Duel at Davenport
One of the biggest events this past year was also one of the Davenport R/C Society’s first events. The Duel at Davenport took place in Davenport, Iowa, on September 20–21 at the club’s flying site. Twenty pilots from across the North, including Canada, attended.
Dirk Oosting, who ran his first event, put on a good show that included a visit from a local television station. Weather was definitely a factor: there was high wind and rain on the first day, and winds reached 35 mph on the second day. The field is located on a sod farm, which makes for a great flyover area.
Slow Survivable Combat (SSC), Gnat, and Limited B were flown. Winners were:
- SSC: Andy Runte — 2,752 points
- Gnat: Bill Geipel — 1,525 points
- Limited B: William Drumm III — 1,588 points
This looked to be a great gathering, and I hope the club continues to hold it in the future.
Facebook Communications
I am always looking for new ideas and solutions to problems. Last year Dane McGee created a Facebook group as a way to communicate with other Combat pilots and to share ideas and event reports. The group can be found by searching Facebook for “RC Combat.”
Loose Servos
A common problem in Combat is servos becoming loose in the wing cutouts when they aren’t secured. Many pilots cut a hole with a Dremel-type tool and glue the servo into the foam wing, but over time the cutout can enlarge and the servo can shift, resulting in sluggish controls.
One solution is to fill the hole with glue, then place the servo back into the hole using plastic wrap to protect the servo from the glue. The glue will expand to the size of the servo while still allowing you to remove the servo if necessary.
Check Those Batteries
With the Combat season approaching, now is a good time to check your batteries. Many people forget to inspect them over the winter and then encounter problems. It’s also a good idea to put some after-run oil in engines during the winter and spin the propeller thoroughly to ensure the oil gets into the engine. If you plan to attend the RC Combat Nats, make your hotel reservations early, as rooms can be limited.
Sources
- Radio Control Combat Association (RCCA): www.rccombat.com
- AMA Nats: www.modelaircraft.org/events
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
