RADIO CONTROL COMBAT
Greg Rose, 3429 Elm, Orion, MI 48359
Safety reminder
With the summer flying season almost here, it's a good time for a quick safety reminder.
One of the best things about RC Combat flying, and RC flying in general, is the opportunity to spend a beautiful day outside; but a long day in the sun can also have some painful drawbacks. To protect from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, every modeler's flight box should include UV protection.
Recommended items:
- Waterproof sunblock with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 15. SPF ratings range from about 3 to 45; the higher the SPF, the better the protection. Sunblock tends to get used up faster than you think, so reapply approximately every two hours.
- Sunglasses or clip-on lenses labeled "Meets ANSI Z80.3 Special Purpose UV Requirements" or "These lenses block 100% UVB & UVA."
- A broad-brimmed hat to add protection for skin and eyes. If you prefer not to fly with a broad-brimmed hat (they can blow off at an inconvenient moment), fly with a baseball cap and use the broad-brimmed hat when not flying.
Remember that UV exposure is cumulative, including the increased risk of skin cancer, so protecting yourself anytime you're outdoors makes good sense.
New kits and plans
In the last column a directory of Combat kits and plans was presented, and of course the ink wasn't even dry before these additions arrived:
- Lew's Hobbies (24640 Clark Rd., Belleville, MI 48111; Tel.: (313) 654-0067) has introduced the Cim-Lou 25 combat/sport model. The 25 has a 48-inch-span foam wing with 490 square inches of wing area. In its sport version, powered by a .20 to .25 engine, the model features steerable tricycle landing gear and weighs about 3.5 pounds. When finished as a Combat model, the landing gear and nose-wheel servo are left off to reduce weight to about 3 pounds. Lew's Hobbies plans to follow the 25 with a smaller, lighter, pure Combat model later this year.
- Custom Cutters (4302 N. 750 W., Ligonier, IN 46767; Tel.: (219) 894-3370) has introduced a Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony" to its line of 704 models. The design has built-up wings with building tabs on the ribs and a balsa-and-plywood fuselage. A one-piece vacuum-formed canopy/rear turtle helps keep building time and weight down. Powered by a .15, the kit can easily be built under the 2.2-pound weight limit. Photos of the new kit weren't available in time for this printing but have been promised for the next column.
- Gus Morfis continues to offer scale Combat plans. This month brings a set of plans for the Curtiss Model 75A Hawk (also known as the P-36 in US service). Sometimes referred to as the "Turncoat Curtiss" because of its service with Vichy French and Finnish forces, the Hawk offers many interesting paint schemes for the Combat flier. Morfis' 1/12-scale Hawk is of balsa-and-plywood construction. Gus Morfis Plans, 4709 Green Meadows Ave., Torrance, CA 90505; Tel.: (310) 378-5679.
Events and club news
I have RC Combat news from around the United States and beyond.
- Goddard Model Aircraft Club (Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt/Gaithersburg area). The club has a flying field on the grounds of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. In 1994 the club held its first Combat event, timed to commemorate Veterans Day. The Goddard MAC has commemorative events planned for 1995. Several club members have built scale fighters over the winter so they can join in the fun.
- Santa Clarita Soaring Association (Whittaker Peak slopes, near Santa Clarita, CA). The club holds RC slope Combat meets on the slopes of Whittaker Peak. Club champion Joe Wurts, an F3B World Champion familiar to sailplane enthusiasts, leads the RC slope Combat activity. The entire club flies the Aerotech Anabat Combat slope soarer for these events. Aerotech, 411 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404; Tel.: (800) 573-9363.
- Minnesota Sodbusters. The Sodbusters demonstrated that RC Combat is a year-round sport by hosting a 704 event in the middle of January. Even with a windchill of -20°F, six warmly dressed stalwarts showed up for the meet.
For this issue we're bending the rules on the "scratch-built beauty" to feature a "kit-built beauty." I received photos from Glen Hamp showing his beautiful P-51 Mustang built from a PMA kit, and an equally beautiful Fw-190 (not pictured) built from a Zigg's Original kit. Now that he has two fighters all set to fly in the 704 Scale Combat event, he's ready to rock and roll. One problem, though: Glen lives on Guam and can't find anyone on all of Guam's roughly 209 square miles to fly against. From what I hear about the weather there, we should all be lining up to go. I wonder if the AMA would ever consider holding the Nats there?
Be sure to check the "Contest Calendar" in this magazine every month for news on who's holding 704 Combat events in your area.
Remember to fly safely and have a great time — and never forget to check your six!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
