| 2008 Mid America Combat Championship June 21st, 2008, Jackson, Tennessee, click on any image below to see full size photo |
ESPN Sports was unable to locate the excellent West Tennessee Fliers RC field in Jackson to report on the contest so you will just have to
bear with me as I tell you what happened.
The Mid America Combat Championships was a contest for Radio Controlled model airplanes flying a class called Slow and Survivable
Combat (SSC). This will be published in the next National Rule Book of the next Academy of Model Aeronautics. It will be in the January 2009
edition. You might wonder what this "new" form of radio controlled combat is all about. Well, first of all, it really isn't new. It has been flown
since the summer of 2003, and refined along the way. Each airplane tows a 30 foot black crepe paper streamer and the object for each pilot
is to cut off the streamer of their opponents. Eight airplanes are flown in each combat "heat".
The SSC class of combat limits the speed the airplanes to keep them slower and therefore, in theory, more "survivable" if involved in a mid
air collision or one of the inevitable and unplanned trips to mother earth, usually at full power. The way the speed is kept in check is limiting
the engine's cost, governing it's power by specifying a lower pitch propeller, and requiring each plane to achieve a minimum weight which in
turn forces the aircraft to be designed with larger wings to carry the required weight. The larger wing has more lift but it also has more drag
which further reduces the overall speed of the airplanes.
Initially the SSC concepts were viewed with skepticism by the RC Combat community but after five years of practice and development it has
become the most flown event in combat. Now lets see what happened at the contest.
bear with me as I tell you what happened.
The Mid America Combat Championships was a contest for Radio Controlled model airplanes flying a class called Slow and Survivable
Combat (SSC). This will be published in the next National Rule Book of the next Academy of Model Aeronautics. It will be in the January 2009
edition. You might wonder what this "new" form of radio controlled combat is all about. Well, first of all, it really isn't new. It has been flown
since the summer of 2003, and refined along the way. Each airplane tows a 30 foot black crepe paper streamer and the object for each pilot
is to cut off the streamer of their opponents. Eight airplanes are flown in each combat "heat".
The SSC class of combat limits the speed the airplanes to keep them slower and therefore, in theory, more "survivable" if involved in a mid
air collision or one of the inevitable and unplanned trips to mother earth, usually at full power. The way the speed is kept in check is limiting
the engine's cost, governing it's power by specifying a lower pitch propeller, and requiring each plane to achieve a minimum weight which in
turn forces the aircraft to be designed with larger wings to carry the required weight. The larger wing has more lift but it also has more drag
which further reduces the overall speed of the airplanes.
Initially the SSC concepts were viewed with skepticism by the RC Combat community but after five years of practice and development it has
become the most flown event in combat. Now lets see what happened at the contest.
In the upper left photo is Tim Treneff, President of the West Tennessee club, who has taken the Slow and Survivable minimum weight
concept to the extreme. As you can see it takes both Tim and John Deere to get his planes to the technical inspection area. One of the best
ideas we've seen at a combat contest is the "leader board" used at the Mid America Championships. Each pilot has a plate that is moved
around at the end of each round (we flew 8 times or "rounds" each) to see competitor's positions. The technical inspection area where the
airplanes are checked for safety and rules compliance before the contest is shown in the third photo. The flight line shows two pilots testing
their planes. The lines painted on field are used to keep the airplanes in the "combat engagement area" and way from the pilots and the
spectators.
So who won?
concept to the extreme. As you can see it takes both Tim and John Deere to get his planes to the technical inspection area. One of the best
ideas we've seen at a combat contest is the "leader board" used at the Mid America Championships. Each pilot has a plate that is moved
around at the end of each round (we flew 8 times or "rounds" each) to see competitor's positions. The technical inspection area where the
airplanes are checked for safety and rules compliance before the contest is shown in the third photo. The flight line shows two pilots testing
their planes. The lines painted on field are used to keep the airplanes in the "combat engagement area" and way from the pilots and the
spectators.
So who won?
Shown at left is Mike "Dr. Evil" Fredricks ( a lot of combat pilots have alternate identities when on line) of Beaver
Dam, Wisconsin who bested 24 other pilots to take the top prize. In addition to having two rounds where he got
six cuts he scored a total of 3,400 points and was comfortably ahead of the competition. Mike Fredricks is the
"God Father" of combat. He has competed steadily since combat started and his travels have taken him far
away from Wisconsin. Most recently Mike traveled to Samara, Russia to compete.
Mike is not only a flier he is supplier of top notch combat planes, through his company Hat Trick RC. He used
his "Phencepost" to win today. Hat Trick RC also provides scale combat kits, and electric kits. The company has
been at the forefront of all major combat innovations for years and their planes build easily and fly very well.
Check out their products www.hattrickrc.com.
Dam, Wisconsin who bested 24 other pilots to take the top prize. In addition to having two rounds where he got
six cuts he scored a total of 3,400 points and was comfortably ahead of the competition. Mike Fredricks is the
"God Father" of combat. He has competed steadily since combat started and his travels have taken him far
away from Wisconsin. Most recently Mike traveled to Samara, Russia to compete.
Mike is not only a flier he is supplier of top notch combat planes, through his company Hat Trick RC. He used
his "Phencepost" to win today. Hat Trick RC also provides scale combat kits, and electric kits. The company has
been at the forefront of all major combat innovations for years and their planes build easily and fly very well.
Check out their products www.hattrickrc.com.
Who came to the contest?, Where were they from and what did they fly?
I tried to get photographs of all the pilots but missed some and apologize in advance for not having their pictures in this write up. I
especially apologize to Dave Davis who had an outstanding event. I did get quite a few and would like to introduce you to them.
Starting on the left we have Ron Caravona of Louisville Kentucky who placed a hard fought fifth overall. Next in the baby blue shirt
is Chris Quinn who lives north of Nashville, is the designer of the vaunted Battle Axe, superbly kitted by Treneff RC, and placed
second overall. Holding a yellow, red, and black Team Scharnell SSC Avenger is West Palm Beach, Florida's Chris Handegard who
traveled 1,043 miles to compete in this one day contest. Chris placed in the top 15 overall and was displaying his new Computer
Designed and cut Scale Combat kit of a Nakajima KI-43 Hayabusa (allied code name "Oscar") for all to see. The man with the
suspenders is the President of the Radio Control Combat Association, Bob "Long Haul" Loescher from Lima, Ohio. Like most
presidents, when he wasn't flying he had to field questions from participants about why the price of gas is so high, the impact of the
economy on combat, the upcoming rules changes, and a multitude of other things. In the far right picture is Kirk Adams, of
Maryland, who doesn't have a snappy handle but I vote that we all come up with one for him. Doesn't he kind of remind you of the
Micro Henry's from Model Aviation. Kirk is a tremendous SSC, Open and Scale competitor who finishes at the top of the National
Standings every year. He is flying his own design "Rapiers" which are detailed on his Mid Atlantic Combat Web Site where he posts
information about designs, using, setting up and tuning Magnum engines, and information about combat in the Maryland/Virgina
area
especially apologize to Dave Davis who had an outstanding event. I did get quite a few and would like to introduce you to them.
Starting on the left we have Ron Caravona of Louisville Kentucky who placed a hard fought fifth overall. Next in the baby blue shirt
is Chris Quinn who lives north of Nashville, is the designer of the vaunted Battle Axe, superbly kitted by Treneff RC, and placed
second overall. Holding a yellow, red, and black Team Scharnell SSC Avenger is West Palm Beach, Florida's Chris Handegard who
traveled 1,043 miles to compete in this one day contest. Chris placed in the top 15 overall and was displaying his new Computer
Designed and cut Scale Combat kit of a Nakajima KI-43 Hayabusa (allied code name "Oscar") for all to see. The man with the
suspenders is the President of the Radio Control Combat Association, Bob "Long Haul" Loescher from Lima, Ohio. Like most
presidents, when he wasn't flying he had to field questions from participants about why the price of gas is so high, the impact of the
economy on combat, the upcoming rules changes, and a multitude of other things. In the far right picture is Kirk Adams, of
Maryland, who doesn't have a snappy handle but I vote that we all come up with one for him. Doesn't he kind of remind you of the
Micro Henry's from Model Aviation. Kirk is a tremendous SSC, Open and Scale competitor who finishes at the top of the National
Standings every year. He is flying his own design "Rapiers" which are detailed on his Mid Atlantic Combat Web Site where he posts
information about designs, using, setting up and tuning Magnum engines, and information about combat in the Maryland/Virgina
area
Darryl Witherall and his wife drove eight hours from Alexandria, Louisiana to compete in this event. To the best our knowledge Darryl
is the dominant RC flier in Louisiana. We also believe he is the only one. Dressed in green Mark "MC Hammer" Cippolone came out
of a two year hiatus to light up the skies with some outstanding flying. In the center is Alex "son of Tim" Treneff and the labor and IT
behind Treneff RC. In a T-Shirt that was once white, before being covered with castor oil, sticky stuff (what we put on our wings to
grab streamers) and various types of glues is Lou Melancon, of Cumming, Georgia. Getting ready to launch is Jackson's homeboy
Jimmy "Hooter" Gibson who flew and scored very well in the contest with a Treneff RC Battle Axe.
is the dominant RC flier in Louisiana. We also believe he is the only one. Dressed in green Mark "MC Hammer" Cippolone came out
of a two year hiatus to light up the skies with some outstanding flying. In the center is Alex "son of Tim" Treneff and the labor and IT
behind Treneff RC. In a T-Shirt that was once white, before being covered with castor oil, sticky stuff (what we put on our wings to
grab streamers) and various types of glues is Lou Melancon, of Cumming, Georgia. Getting ready to launch is Jackson's homeboy
Jimmy "Hooter" Gibson who flew and scored very well in the contest with a Treneff RC Battle Axe.
Mike DeWoody in the first picture hails from just outside Nashville, Tennessee. He is the RCCA District Representative for the
Southeast. In SSC the engine speeds are checked before launch. They must be making less than 17,500 to be legal to fly. Mike is
shown taching his engine. In the first picture he has pinched the fuel line to show his judge the maximum rpms his engine will make,
in the second photo the engine has returned to its normal rpm. Holding the orange and purple planes is Atlanta's David Eaton who is
a real honest to gawd fighter pilot courtesy of the US Naval Academy. David came to the contest with Don Grissom who is shown in
the far right photo. Don is the RCCA webmaster and uses the Cobra Flying Wing as his weapon of choice.
Southeast. In SSC the engine speeds are checked before launch. They must be making less than 17,500 to be legal to fly. Mike is
shown taching his engine. In the first picture he has pinched the fuel line to show his judge the maximum rpms his engine will make,
in the second photo the engine has returned to its normal rpm. Holding the orange and purple planes is Atlanta's David Eaton who is
a real honest to gawd fighter pilot courtesy of the US Naval Academy. David came to the contest with Don Grissom who is shown in
the far right photo. Don is the RCCA webmaster and uses the Cobra Flying Wing as his weapon of choice.
Mark "Roid" Schofield (don't ask where some fliers get their nom des plumes) is shown holding one of his flying wings. Mark is a very
innovative designer and has taken the airfoils used by Russian combat fliers and applied them to US style combat. Mark
uncharacteristically had some technical issues but managed to put in a top ten finish. Rich McCord is holding his Battle Axe. The third
photos shows Bill Wheeler and the final photo is new flier Jim Wilson. Bill Wheeler of Puryear, Tennessee is my hero. His wife Wanda
helped him launch, retrieve and repair his plane. Now that is love and commitment! Great job guys.
innovative designer and has taken the airfoils used by Russian combat fliers and applied them to US style combat. Mark
uncharacteristically had some technical issues but managed to put in a top ten finish. Rich McCord is holding his Battle Axe. The third
photos shows Bill Wheeler and the final photo is new flier Jim Wilson. Bill Wheeler of Puryear, Tennessee is my hero. His wife Wanda
helped him launch, retrieve and repair his plane. Now that is love and commitment! Great job guys.
What airplanes did people use? What was the "hot" setup"
The top three finishers - Mike Fredricks, Chris Quinn and Kirk Adams were flying the same exact planes they have been using for the last
three years. The plane, although battle worn, performed very well. SSC has reached a point where everyone has good equipment and
there are no longer any "ducks" in the air to get easy cuts on. Pilot skills play the largest part in determining the winner.
three years. The plane, although battle worn, performed very well. SSC has reached a point where everyone has good equipment and
there are no longer any "ducks" in the air to get easy cuts on. Pilot skills play the largest part in determining the winner.
The most popular design at the Mid America Championships is the Treneff RC Battle Axe designed by Chris Quinn. It accounted
for about half of the total planes entered in the event. The Battle Axe can easily be built to the SSC minimum weight requirement
and is a very complete, easy to assemble kit. Mike DeWoodys plane in the second photo is the result of many donor planes that
came before it. It has a wing originally on a Ben Morrow designed Piranha, a plastic fence post fuselage and Mike Dewoody's own
design tail feathers. This plane has been competing for six years. The two flying wings in the middle picture are Mark Schofields
new designs based on Russian combat airfoils. The close up view of the throttle servo on Mark's plane show a geared
arrangement. Mark uses pressure bladder fuel tanks. They work well a wide open throttle but have so much pressure that when
you close the throttle barrel down they keep pumping fuel into the engines causing it to choke and quit. Mark has connected his
throttle servo to the needle valve so that as he reduces his throttle the action also causes the needle valve to be turned in to
reduce fuel supply. It works well and is simple and reliable. In the far right photo are Don Grissom's Lee Liddle designed Cobras.
They are very maneuverable and competitive
Final thoughts and observations:
for about half of the total planes entered in the event. The Battle Axe can easily be built to the SSC minimum weight requirement
and is a very complete, easy to assemble kit. Mike DeWoodys plane in the second photo is the result of many donor planes that
came before it. It has a wing originally on a Ben Morrow designed Piranha, a plastic fence post fuselage and Mike Dewoody's own
design tail feathers. This plane has been competing for six years. The two flying wings in the middle picture are Mark Schofields
new designs based on Russian combat airfoils. The close up view of the throttle servo on Mark's plane show a geared
arrangement. Mark uses pressure bladder fuel tanks. They work well a wide open throttle but have so much pressure that when
you close the throttle barrel down they keep pumping fuel into the engines causing it to choke and quit. Mark has connected his
throttle servo to the needle valve so that as he reduces his throttle the action also causes the needle valve to be turned in to
reduce fuel supply. It works well and is simple and reliable. In the far right photo are Don Grissom's Lee Liddle designed Cobras.
They are very maneuverable and competitive
Final thoughts and observations:
- As the day wore on and the temperature went up so did the rpms of the engines. Engines that were running legal rpms at
10am were busting out over 17,500 by early afternoon. Fliers had to either adjust their throttle ATV or resort to lower nitro
fuel. - All engines were tach'd every round prior to launch
- Many fliers were using equipment from last year and even from three years ago. Equipment is lasting longer
- People are learning to fly combat without mid-airing all the time. The focus, after getting cuts, is to find a way to stay up for
the entire five minutes of the round. - More fliers are riding to contest together to share the costs
- One day contests with 8 rounds are likely to become the norm as it allows folks a full day to return home
- The only engines used were OS LA .15s and Magnum .15s, no electric powered planes were entered.
- Fliers who had sat out the last couple of years of combat returned for this event and will be competing more in the future -
Ben Morrow, Ron Caravona, Mark Cippolone, Stan Erwin and Lou Melancon participated for the first time in a couple of
years. - The time to go from rank beginner to winner can be less than a year as proven by Dave Davis who finished in last place a
year ago and finished in the top ten this year. Way to go Dave, you did awesome. - You don't have to be an expert. Darryl Witherell, flying in his second contest had a five cut round in his first heat.
- RC combat is in very good shape. After several years of testing different combat concepts the number of classes in both
Open and Scale are being homogenized and we are seeing a gradual but steady resurgence in the interest in scale combat.