Author: G. Rose
Edition: Model Aviation - 1995/05
Page Numbers: 106, 107, 108
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RADIO CONTROL COMBAT

Greg Rose 3429 Elmy, Orion, MI 48359

I've had a number of requests for information on where to get all the kits and plans to get started in RC Combat. Some of this information has appeared piecemeal in earlier columns, but it might be a good idea to update it. It's presented in two sections: the 1/12-scale RC Combat event under AMA's 704 rules, and a non-scale RC Combat directory of designs often used in "one-design" or "open" events.

Scale (704) Kit Manufacturers

  • Custom Cutters (4302 N 750 W, Ligonier, IN 46767; Tel: (219) 894-3370) — Offers a Messerschmitt Me-109G and Macchi MC-202 and will soon introduce the Macchi MC-200. The new designs feature built-up wings with building tabs on the ribs. Fuselages are balsa and plywood with vacuum-formed canopies. Plans (only) for the Hawker Hurricane are also available. (Custom Cutters' older style used sheeted foam wings and built-up fuselages.)
  • House of Balsa (10101 Yucca Rd., Adelanto, CA 92301; Tel: (619) 246-6426) — Kits a Messerschmitt Me-109E that can be modified to meet the 704 rules. It has a built-up wing and fuselage and features extensive vacuum-forming on its one-piece canopy/turtledeck. HOB also kits a P-51 that requires extensive modification to bring a grossly undersize fuselage up to requirements.
  • Precision Aero (1561 River Highlands Dr., Oconomowoc, WI 53066; Tel: (414) 567-5341) — Kits the Focke-Wulf FW-190D (long-nosed version) featuring presheeted foam wings mated to a built-up fuselage. Extensive vacuum-forming is used to make a one-piece canopy/turtledeck.
  • Progressive Miniature Aviation (214 N Goldenrod Rd., Orlando, FL 32807; Tel: (407) 382-8646) — Kits a P-51 Mustang, P-63 Kingcobra, Spitfire, Mitsubishi Zero, and Messerschmitt Me-109. All kits are built-up wing and fuselage and are extremely complete. Plans (only) for a P-40E are also available.
  • Royal (790 W Tennessee Ave., Denver, CO 80223; Tel: (303) 778-7711) — Imports a 1/2A Supermarine Spitfire and a P-51 Mustang that can be modified to meet the 704 rules. Both kits are built up from balsa and plywood with vacuum-formed canopies.
  • Ziggs Originals (3822 Hoover Dr. #4, Madison, WI 53714; Tel: (608) 249-4480) — Kits a Vought Corsair, Spitfire, Mitsubishi Zero, Messerschmitt Me-109, and Focke-Wulf FW-190A. Wings and fuselages are hot-wire cut foam and build up extremely light. They have vacuum-formed canopies and cowls but do not include hardware.

Scale (704) Plan Services

  • Gus Morfis Plans (4709 Green Meadows Ave., Torrance, CA 90505; Tel: (310) 378-5679) — By far the largest plans dealer for 704 Scale Combat, offering more than two dozen 704 designs including: P-40 Warhawk, P-38 Lightning, P-51D Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, F6F Hellcat, F8F Bearcat, F9F Panther, F4U Corsair, Ryan Fireball, F-86 Sabre, Hawker Hurricane, Typhoon, Sea Fury, Supermarine Spitfire, Martin Baker MB-3, Lavochkin La-5, Yak 1/3/7/9, Dewoitine D.520, Focke-Wulf FW-190 A or D, TA-152C or H, Messerschmitt Me-109G/Me-163/Me-262, Macchi MC-202, Mitsubishi A6M Zero, Kawasaki Ki-61 Tony and Ki-100, and a MiG-15. All designs are balsa/plywood construction.
  • Pond Plans (Box 90310, San Jose, CA 95109; Tel: (408) 292-3382) — Offers a variety of 1/12-scale control line plans that may be modified for RC, and RC plans for the Arado Ar-96, P-39 Airacobra, and Heinkel He-51.
  • Verivoli Plans (5726 Case Ave., N. Hollywood, CA 91601-1950; Tel: (818) 980-6184) — Offers RC plans for the Arado Ar-96, Focke-Wulf FW-190A, and Kawasaki Ki-61 Tony.
  • Magazine plan services — Model Aviation (FW-190D); Model Airplane News (Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-51 Mustang, Messerschmitt Me-109E); RC Modeler (Fokker D-XXI, Arsenal VG-33, Supermarine).

Miscellaneous 704 Items

  • Paints: Chevron Hobby Products (Box 2480, Sandusky, OH 44870) — Offers more than 30 different camouflage colors in flat finishes.
  • Scale Markings: Northeast Screen Graphics (Box 304, East Longmeadow, MA 01028; Tel: (413) 525-4110) — Produces 1/12-scale U.S. (both "stars" and "stars & bars" versions), British, German, Canadian, Nationalist Chinese, and Soviet Union markings for use on 704 fighters.
  • Newsletter: The A.C.E. Reporter (3429 Elmy, Orion, MI 48359; Tel: (810) 391-2149) — Covers issues, events, kits, plans, and rules for the 704 event in six issues per year.

Non-Scale Kit Manufacturers

  • Aerocraft (Box 553, East Northport, NY 11731; Tel: (516) 754-6628) — Kits the Snapper of balsa-and-plywood construction and includes most hardware required. 34-inch wingspan, 288 sq in wing area, powered by .12–.15 engines, typically weighs about 27 oz.
  • Aerotech (411 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404; Tel: (800) 573-9363) — Kits the Anabat Combat pair of combat slope soarers. All-foam Anabat comes in 36- and 48-inch span versions (288 and 384 sq in). Packed two to a box, the Combat Pair comes with the unique Contact Combat rules used by slope soarers. With micro gear the 36-inch Anabat typically weighs about 14 oz; the 48-inch about 22 oz.
  • Capstone RC (562 W Schrock Rd., Westerville, OH 43081; Tel: (614) 899-6313) — Offers the Pattern Bat. All-balsa built-up wing, 36-inch span, 375 sq in area, powered by a .10, typically weighs ~26 oz.
  • First Step RC (Box 40023, Georgetown, TX 78627; Tel: (512) 863-7002) — Offers two combat kits featuring foam-core wings and balsa-and-plywood fuselages. The FS 2.0 spans 39 inches, 468 sq in area, powered by .19–.25 engines, typically ~40 oz. The butterfly-tailed Texas Scorpion also spans 39 inches, 430 sq in area, powered by a .25, and weighs ~40 oz.
  • Future Flight (1256 Prescott Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94089; Tel: (408) 735-8260) — Offers the all-balsa Fun Thing 1/2A Combat design. Powered by .049–.074 engines, 28.5-inch wingspan, 255 sq in area, typically weighs 13–16 oz.
  • GT Generic (Box 1003, East Windsor, NJ 08520; Tel: (609) 448-1122) — Offers the Tailgater. All-balsa built-up wing, 38-inch span, 380 sq in area, powered by .15–.25 engine, typically weighs 30–32 oz.
  • J.C. Industries (1051 Universal Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15235; Tel: (412) 795-9344) — Offers three combat designs using the same 37-inch span, 370-sq-in foam-core board wing. The Sport-Bat and tailless Sport-Bat II are powered by .10–.15 engines and weigh ~18 oz and ~22 oz respectively. The new Fun Bat has a carbon-fiber tailboom, is powered by a .15, and typically weighs ~26 oz.
  • J.R. Hobbies (866 S Oakland Rd., Springfield, IL 62707; Tel: (217) 523-0044) — Two combat kits of sheeted foam-core construction. The Knight Wing spans 36 inches, 396 sq in wing area, powered by .20–.28 engines, typically weighs 48 oz. The slightly larger Boomerang has a 39-inch span with 429 sq in, similar power and weight.
  • Lynch's Hangar (1050 Faust Dr., Caro, MI 48723; Tel: (517) 673-7116) — Kits the Combat 20, a balsa-and-plywood design spanning 36 inches with 360 sq in wing area. Powered by a .15 (in the .15–.25 range), the kit typically weighs 36 oz.
  • Phoebe Enterprises (305 Meadowlake Dr., Marble Falls, TX 78654; Tel: (210) 693-8427) — Kits the Raptor with a foam-core wing and a PVC fuselage. The design spans 48 inches and has 580 sq in wing area. Powered by .20–.40 engines, weight typically 48–52 oz.
  • Quality Aircraft (1646 Southwest Builtmore St., Port St. Lucie, FL 34984; Tel: (407) 879-2722) — Kits the balsa-and-plywood Wild Thing. 36-inch span, 362 sq in wing area, powered by .10–.15 engines, typically weighs ~32 oz.
  • R.A. Cores (Box 863, Southbridge, MA 01550; Tel: (508) 765-9998) — Kits the Gremlin with a foam-core wing and a PVC fuselage. The design spans 48 inches and has 550 sq in wing area. Powered by a .25, weight ~48 oz; when powered by a .40, weight ~72 oz. The kit is offered as wing cores only, a "short kit," or a complete kit. R.A. Cores also offers the New England Radio Control Combat Association (NERCCA) newsletter announcing local Gremlin events and results.
  • Sig Manufacturing (401-7 S Front St., Montezuma, IA 50171; Tel: (515) 623-5154) — Kits the balsa-and-plywood Wonder. Powered by .09–.19 engines, the 37.5-inch-span model typically weighs 26–38 oz and has 338 sq in wing area.
  • Trillium Balsa (260 Tillson Ave., Unit #2, Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada N4G 3B5; Tel: (519) 688-3522) — Kits the balsa-and-plywood Bandit ARC, described as "almost ready to cover." The 35-inch-wingspan kit weighs 32–36 oz and is powered by .10–.15 engines.

That's all for the directory. I'd like to get in some photos before I run out of space.

News and Notes

  • The Great Northern Campaign in Minnesota is over. After six round-robin events held at three clubs, the top fliers were honored at an awards ceremony. The Top Gun for the year was Dave Hosek, who had a 375-point average from the six meets. In the photo (left to right): Mike Gregori, Howard Lee, Jim Cook, Scott Anderson, Eric Malkerson, Bob Fritzke, Dave Hosek, Neil Bentley, Steve O'Hearn, and J.R. Venegas.
  • Another photo from the Northern Campaign shows the brainchild of Merlin Gorowsky: a 704 fighter launched by a catapult he designed. It is triggered by a foot pedal to allow an easy hands-off launch. The Sodbusters Club sent a videotape of Merlin's design smoothly launching several different models. Merlin is currently writing a construction article on his catapult.
  • The Palm Beach Aero Club is hosting a Wild Thing one-design Combat meet, with a $1,000 top prize. The event on April 1–2 is open only to kit- and scratch-built Wild Thing models and is being organized by Jay Gardner at the PBAOC. Contact Jay at (407) 689-7664 for details.
  • Scratch-built feature: Bob Wallace with his Arsenal VG-33. Bob chose this little-known French fighter because of its beautiful lines and excellent moments for a model. Bob says the model flies well and is the prototype for an upcoming construction article. With the appeal of this model, expect to see more 1/2-scale VG-33 models in the skies than the full-scale version ever did.

Thanks for all the letters and photos. Until next time, don't forget to check your six!

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