| The sport of model airplane combat has been | | | | |
| around now for decades and in recent years | | | | When fighting in the SSC class, a single |
| has grown exponentially. The human race is | | | | round of combat lasts 5 minutes. You must |
| naturally competitive and it's only natural | | | | have a .15 engine and your airplane is |
| that modelers are going to find a way to pit | | | | required to weigh no less than 2.5 pounds. |
| their flying skills against each other. | | | | There are no restrictions on your airplane's |
| | | | wingspan, but the overall wing area must be |
| In combat, competitors tie a lengthy streamer | | | | at least 400 square inches. All combating RC |
| to the rear of their model, and take to the | | | | model airplanes use an unmodified Master |
| skies in an attempt to cut their opponents | | | | Airscrew 8x3 prop and the maximum allowable |
| streamer with their propeller or wing. | | | | RPM is 17,500rpm at launch. RPM testing is |
| Category after category has been created to | | | | often performed before combat starts to make |
| allow all sorts of planes to enter combat. | | | | sure everyone is conforming to the rules. |
| What used to be reserved for balsa and | | | | |
| ply-wood built planes has now expanded to | | | | The other classes of combat, Open Classes and |
| allow for much more durable RC model | | | | Scale, all have different rules and |
| airplanes that are even capable of surviving | | | | restrictions regarding weight, engine, and |
| mid-air collisions (sometimes!). | | | | appearance but the objective of all of them |
| | | | is to ensure that it is the skill of the |
| Balsa, Foam, and SPAD model airplanes all | | | | pilot that is being tested and not the |
| take to the skies to see who is Top Dog. | | | | airplane. |
| Combat clubs can be found in just about every | | | | |
| country on the planet. The two largest RC | | | | What all of these classes do have in common |
| model airplane combat associations are the | | | | is some sort of point system. Combat |
| Radio Control Combat Association (RCCA) and | | | | contestants earn points for things such as |
| the National Sports Combat Club (NSCC). | | | | cutting their opponents streamers, continuous |
| | | | flying during combat, launching within the |
| Just about every model airplane combat group | | | | set time limit, as well as points for every |
| has one thing in common. Your model airplane | | | | foot of streamer left when landing. Points |
| and you competitor's must both fall into the | | | | can also be deducted for not engaging an |
| same category to make the combat fair. A few | | | | opponent in combat. Pilots that avoid fights |
| examples of these classes are; Slow | | | | will be penalized. If your model airplane |
| Survivable Combat (SSC), Open Classes, and | | | | crosses various safety lines which define the |
| Scale. Each of these classes have strict | | | | combat area this will also earn penalty |
| requirements about the size of the engine | | | | deductions. |
| used, the overall weight of the aircraft, the | | | | |
| size of the prop, and in some cases even the | | | | Model airplane combat whether RC or Control |
| shape of the fuselage must conform to the | | | | Line can add a very exciting element to an |
| rules. | | | | already enjoyable hobby. So what's holding |
| | | | you back? Give it a try, inquire with other |
| At one time model airplane combat got pretty | | | | flyers at your local flying field. Large |
| fast and furious with high speeds and a high | | | | combat associations might have strict rules, |
| attrition rate as planes ploughed into each | | | | but feel free to make up your own when you |
| other and into the ground. The Slow | | | | set out pit your model airplane flying skills |
| Surviveable Class was developed to counter | | | | against your friends. |
| this tendency and the rules produce a big, | | | | |
| slow flying airplane without an excess of | | | | Bruce Bird makes it easy for the beginner to |
| power. As a result, this class is much | | | | quickly get a grasp of the broad range of |
| more suitable for beginners, the models | | | | exciting activities that make up airplane |
| survive much better and can often be used for | | | | modeling. To receive his free 5 part |
| other forms of flying. | | | | mini-series visit . |