Combat! 

2011 Play-by-Play

by Brian Campbell

October

Weather was low clouds to start with but it cleared up later. However there was not a lot of flying.

Heat 1 - Due to engine and streamer problems Jim Gilbert and Lorin came down early. Brian & Corky had been waiting but cut their engines due to the delay. The next attempt for Jim and Lorin worked okay and they got in the air followed by Corky. Brian in the meantime tried to take off several times but the engine kept stopping and by the time he had worked out that the engine kill switch was still in the "kill" position the heat was nearly over. In the meantime Jim claimed a cut but we do not know on who as Corky and Lorin landed with full streamers at the end of the heat. After the "cut" Jim lost control of his plane and it went off deep into the trees. Corky and Lorin scored 160 points each, Jim G. received only 20 and Brian scored no points.

Heat 2 - Jim went off on a lengthy search for his plane and Lorin went to help him. Corky and Brian got up but Brian's streamer failed to deploy so he had to land early and Corky came down as the last pilot flying. Corky scored 160 points for the heat and Brian received only 20.

Then came a long delay until 2:00 pm came around and further flying was abandoned for the day. Jim and Lorin came back without the plane but they do know which tree it is resting in. It will take some "special" equipment to get it down later.

Scoring for the day was Corky 320 points, Lorin 160, and Brian & Jim 20 points each.

Now there is the year to total up. In these last three months Corky has scored 1,560 points, Lorin 1,048, Brian 740 and Jim Gilbert had 720 points. Adding those scores to the totals ending in July, Corky won by a country mile with 3,408 points. Brian is second with 2,128 points and Lorin is a worthy third, considering all his problems and the fact he did not fly all seven months, with 1,172. Neil, who also did not fly many months, came in fourth with 732 points and Jim Gilbert, who only flew the last three months, came in fifth with 720. Shawn, who only flew one month, scored 292 points.

September

Five pilots came this time, the extra being Jim McEdwards, however all the points he scored were given to Lorin as it was one of Lorin's planes that he was flying. Strange but true.

Heat 1 - All five up eventually; there was some waiting around to get Lorin's planes in the air but success came in the end. Lorin got a cut on his other plane but the one he was flying did not last the heat. Jim Gilbert came down early and Brian survived the heat only to have his engine quit which was followed by an out-of-bounds tree landing after a stall. Lorin's other plane landed with a shortened streamer and Corky got the basic score. Corky scored 160 points, Lorin's other plane flown by Jim M. scored 148 and Lorin scored 120. Jim G. and Brian received 20 points each.

Heat 2 - All five in the air but both of Lorin's planes landed early. The one Lorin was flying had an accident and did not fly again. Jim G. had a problem but still claimed points somehow. Corky and Brian tried hard and there were some near misses, but both got down okay at the end of the heat. Corky and Brian received 160 points each, Jim G. 140, and both of Lorin's planes scored 20 points each.

Heat 3 - Four planes in the air this time but Lorin's plane did not last long and it came down early with some damage, ending Lorin's flying for the day. Meanwhile the other three tried very hard but again failed to score any cuts and landed safely at the end of the heat. Corky, Jim G. and Brian scored 160 points each and Lorin scored 20.

Heat 4 - Three planes only this time and at last Corky had a problem with his engine or lack of fuel (which brought a cheer from one of the other pilots), so he had to land early. Jim G. and Brian tried hard again but no cuts this time by the end of the heat. Jim G. and Brian received 160 points each and Corky scored 20. Scoring for the day was Corky and Brian with 500 points each, Jim G. with 480 and Lorin with 428 points.

August

Four pilots showed up and the weather was good.

Heat 1 - Brian and Jim Gilbert had engine problems and had to land early. In the meantime Corky and Lorin managed to last the heat without cuts, so 160 points for each of them and 20 points each for Jim and Brian.

Heat 2 - Lorin and Jim got up okay but had to land early with engine trouble or something again. Brian had his streamer removed by Corky so had to land early. Corky kept going to the end for a score of 260 points and the rest got 20 points each.

Heat 3 - All four got up okay and Jim and Corky managed to keep out of trouble to survive the heat with streamers intact. It was Lorin's turn to take all of Brian's streamer but he did not complete the heat so did not score so well unfortunately. Corky and Jim G. received 160 pts each, Lorin 120 and Brian with 20 points again.

Heat 4. All four up again, but Jim did not last the heat and the other three flew around with some near misses but no actual cuts. Lorin, Corky and Brian received 160 points each and Jim with 20. Scoring for the day was Corky with 740 points, Lorin with 460 and Jim & Brian with 220 points each.

July

The weather was good as promised by the forecast, but being so close to the July 4th weekend, the expected crowd of spectators and new pilots did not show up. Lorin did show up with his combat plane but alas not with the appropriate TX, so he stayed on to be the time keeper. Neil came with his electric Corsair; Corky and Brian showed up with two or more nitro planes each. Brian tested out a repaired one from last year only to find it did not fly so well on its much repaired wing. It spun into a bush on the tree line and now needs a new wing.

Heat 1 - Three planes got up and Neil's electric plane lasted most of the heat before it lost power which later turned out to be a burned out motor. There were no cuts so Corky and Brian each received 160 points and Neil got 20.

Heat 2 - Only Corky and Brian flew and this was the heat with the action. Corky got a good cut on Brian early on and later Brian's engine quit (again) and he was forced to land before the end on the heat. Corky received 260 points and Brian got 20.

Heats 3 and 4 - Corky and Brian got up okay both times. There were some near misses but no cuts in these one-on-one flights and each survived to score nominal points of 160 each for both heats.

Scoring for the day: Corky leaps ahead again with 740 points, Brian picked up 500 and Neil got his 20 points from heat one.

Scoring for the year to date: Corky 1848, Brian 1388, Neil 732, Shawn 292 and Lorin 124. It could still be a close finish if Corky gets a dose of his usual misfortune which seems to be late kicking in this year. He is less than 500 pts in the lead at the moment with three more months of combat left.

June

June Combat Day and great weather for a change; wall to wall blue sky and a mild breeze from the north; a superb setting for what turned out to be a superb combat day.

Heat 1 - Four pilots turned up for combat; Brian, Corky, Lorin and Neil Makar with his electric Corsair. There was a small delay while we watched Shawn Gray do an impressive display with his electric helicopter (more on Shawn later). Lorin's plane needed a hand launch which did not go well and he only made it to the other side of the runway. The rest of us made it to the end of the heat without incident, but while lining up for a long approach Brian's engine decided to quit and the plane landed short in the gravel pit area. This was quickly recovered and made ready for heat two. Lorin sorted out his plane and refined his instructions to the launcher guy for heat two. The scores were Corky and Neil 160 points, Brian 20 and Lorin zero.

Heat 2 - Between heats Corky seriously bent the ear of Shawn Gray to eventually persuade him that he would make a good combat pilot and should give it a go with one of Corky's spare planes. So five pilots for heat two which turned out to be a cracker with four cuts in all. Even though Corky was flying a blue streamer against a blue sky Brian managed to get a cut on that and later another cut on a white streamer which I think belonged to Neil. Corky got two cuts as well, taking all of Lorin's and some of Shawn's. All managed to land safely on the field. Scores were Brian 360 points, Corky 348, Neil 132, Shawn 112 and Lorin with his early landing only 20 points.

Heat 3 - All five got successfully airborne and Neil soon had a cut on Brian taking more than half of his streamer. Brian meanwhile got a cut on Lorin and he landed later with only a foot of streamer (scoring only four streamer points). Neil and Shawn landed with full streamers. Unfortunately, Corky's engine cut out before the end of the heat. He later claimed that due to all the excitement with getting Shawn into the air for heat three he had forgotten to refuel his own plane and had run out of fuel. Scores for heat three were Neil 260 points, Brian 188, Shawn 160, Lorin 44 and sadly Corky just 20 points for taking off.

Heat 4 - Corky took revenge and got a cut on Shawn taking all of the streamer. Lorin somehow crossed the safety line and had to deduct 100 points. Neil and Brian each had an incident-free heat so the scoring for this heat was Corky 260 poits, Neil and Brian 160 each, Lorin 60 points and Shawn only 20.

Scoring for the day was high with Corky the winner with 788 points, Brian second with 728, Neil a close third with 712, Shawn fourth with 292 and Lorin with 124 points. Altogether, a very high scoring day which kept Corky in the lead with 1,108 pts, Brian second with 888 points and Neil, Shawn and Lorin as above.

Also, it was a crowd pleasing day and several of the spectators intend to join in next month, so it could get to be very interesting in July. Lorin acquired a used combat plane at the swap meet so he should have a better chance next time around. Don't forget, Combat! is the first Saturday of the month which is July 2nd. Lets hope for good weather again.

May

Three pilots showed up at the field on a day with a very poor weather forecast and by the time noon came around it was decided to abandon the flying due to strong winds. The tall trees on the far side of the runway were swaying strongly.

April

Two pilots (Corky and Brian) arrived at the field to fly combat with a not very good weather forecast. Flying started at noon; Corky was okay with a hand launch but Brian hauled his plane off too soon and it spun in and sheared off the wing bolts. Corky was obliged to cruise around on his own to get the 160 points.

In the 2nd heat and after repairs, Brian got off okay as did Corky. There was some near misses but no cuts were scored, so each received 160 points.

The next thing that happened was the heavens opened with heavy rain so further flying for the day was abandoned. Corky scored 320 points and Brian 160 points.

In an attempt to make combat more user friendly to all, we are open to suggestions for alternative flying times to the first Saturday at noon each month. Maybe we could have two or more sessions in good weather months, on different days or at different times. Please contact Corky or Brian with any suggestions.