RADIO CONTROL COMBAT
Greg Rose, 1312 NW 196th St., Edmond OK 73003
Overview
One aspect I don't often bring up in this column is some of the variations on a theme in RC Combat. Since most people fly Open B, 2610 Scale, and Slow and Survivable Combat (SSC), I generally cover those events more frequently, but there are several other classes of RC Combat that have active participation.
Although some of the classes are not widespread, they have strong local followings and can offer an enjoyable Combat event. Most of these events fit right into the National Points System (NPS) for RC Combat and can offer a fun challenge and a chance for a little glory.
Friendly (informal) Combat
Much Combat flying is held at a "friendly" level rather than at an AMA‑sanctioned event. Therefore, these events don't always show up in the NPS statistics.
"Friendly" Combat generally involves a small number of fliers from the same club or locality and uses informal rules based roughly on the AMA RC Combat rules. However, in many cases participants will follow the AMA rules to the letter so they can use their models—and their experience—in sanctioned meets if they choose.
Sanctioned events and statistics (2004 year-to-date)
By far the most popular events numerically are the big three—Open Class B, 2610 Scale, and SSC. To give a sense of activity, the RCCA keeps track of each sortie flown in a sanctioned event; every flight of each individual aircraft is counted as a sortie.
As of September 11, 2004:
- 48 AMA/RCCA sanctioned events had been held, totaling 5,157 sorties.
- Looking at the number of sorties flown in each event gives an idea of what people are flying.
Slow and Survivable Combat (SSC)
Although it is the newest RC Combat class—and at this time it isn't even a sanctioned event—SSC is by far the most popular. Year‑to‑date, 2,797 SSC sorties have been flown. That's not only more than any other event; it's more than all other Combat events combined. SSC comprises 54% of the Combat flown in sanctioned events, so it has obviously taken a firm hold on the imagination of RC Combat fliers in the United States.
Open Class B
In second place, relinquishing the title of most popular RC Combat event, is Open Class B with 1,729 sorties, or roughly 33% of sanctioned Combat flown year-to-date. Participation in Open Class B isn't down much from previous years in number of flights flown; it has been pushed into second place by the growth in SSC.
Scale Combat (AMA event 2610 and related classes)
There are actually two established Scale events:
- 2610: .26 maximum displacement engine and ±10% from 1/12 scale (nearly all Scale Combat activity is sanctioned as 2610).
- 2105: .21 maximum displacement and ±5% from 1/12 scale (all models built for 2105 fit within 2610 rules; the converse is not true).
Year‑to‑date:
- 2610 has had 507 Scale RC Combat sorties.
- 2105 has had none.
The number of models eligible for 2105 is dwindling noticeably; event 2610 has effectively replaced 2105 in the United States.
A provisional Scale class called 2548 (.25 maximum displacement and a standard 48‑inch wingspan) has been demonstrated in several contests. The proposed 2548 rules are the first Scale rules that include "scaleness" as a factor in the scores in an effort to promote Scale models that actually look like full‑scale airplanes. The lack of "scaleness" of some models currently flown in the 2610 event has long been a complaint of Combat fliers—especially those who invest time in a good‑looking model only to compete against one that is barely representative of its full‑scale counterpart. Now that a number of fliers have been exposed to the idea behind 2548, we will see next season if the event becomes popular.
Although not as popular as they used to be, Scale Combat events still account for approximately 10% of the Combat rounds each year.
Open classes (other than B)
The Open category has several less‑popular events compared with Open Class B:
- Open Class 1/2A: .061 maximum displacement, 2‑pound maximum weight — no sanctioned events in 2004.
- Open Class A: .15 maximum displacement, 2.5‑pound maximum weight — 88 sorties year‑to‑date.
- Open Class C: .47 maximum displacement, 5‑pound maximum weight — 35 sorties year‑to‑date.
- Open Class B: .30 maximum displacement, 3.5‑pound maximum weight — (see above, 1,729 sorties).
These statistics can be slightly misleading. For example, 1/2A Combat is flown mostly as a nonsanctioned event at the club level, and Open Class C enjoys more popularity than the sanctioned numbers alone might suggest. That doesn't mean the relative rankings are wrong; it indicates that not all activity is held in sanctioned rule‑book events.
Informal, electric, and one-on-one Combat
A fair amount of RC Combat activity today takes place in completely informal events. Since HobbyZone introduced its Sonic Combat Module for its electric Fighterbird and some other designs, one‑on‑one RC Combat—often between family members—has enjoyed popularity despite having no sanctioned event designed for those models.
The limited two‑channel performance of many of those designs has reduced the appeal of this type of competition with most RC Combat fliers, but not with the general RC modeling community. A new, higher‑performance, three‑channel design called the F‑27 Stryker has been released, complete with the X‑Port required to make the Sonic Combat Module work. With the third dimension available on these electric models, designs such as the Stryker may find broader acceptance with RC Combat fliers.
Other developments
I haven't even touched on other RC Combat developments such as World War I Combat, jet‑age Combat, and the growing interest in RC Combat slope soaring.
Conclusion
Until next time, build straight, fly safely, and always check your six!
MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
