Swamp Rat (oz12638)

About this Plan

Swamp Rat. Control line slow combat model. For hot .35 engine. Wingspan 32 in, wing area 340 sq in.

Note this plan appeared alongside a more general article that mainly covers slow combat concpets rather than the Swamp Rat design itself.

Quote: "This month, I have a sketch of our latest slow combat, which works OK. You can build one from the info given on the drawing, with a little ad-libbing of your own, and have about as snappy a slow combat as anybody. The important thing is having the shortest nose possible for better turning plus having a long enough tail moment and big enough tail for the same reason. Light weight isn't as important as strength in crashes, so don't spare the epoxy and glass cloth.

Next, we're developing a slow combat design to eliminate the two quickest ways to lose a match: The easiest ways to lose are to crash and not be able to continue because the wing is shredded, and, second, to run out of gas, and lose on air time. The answer, we hope, is a thin, solid balsa elliptical wing, and a 4 to 5 minute tank, instead of the stock tanks which arc good for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes. The tank will have to be specially made to give that much capacity, yet not be so long that the motor ends up a foot away frrom the wing, making the airplane hopelessly nose-heavy. I think too much emphasis is put on attacking ability and not enough on simple stuff like defensive flying - and merely remaining airborne.

COMBAT THOUGHTS@ The first combat meet in the Dallas (Snider Swamp) area transpired last weekend. It was supposed to be a small 'fun' thing where everybody, beginners and pro alike, could get his jollies without being too serious. To the organizing club's amazement, it came to pass that it was a little more hot and heavy than that. The slow combat event was most popular and most spectacular. If this is a trend, we'd better come up with some rules quick so kit manufacturers can get with it and we can all have designs that will be legal when we go to out of town meets.

Slow combat is a pretty good thing for several reasons: First, you get more combat flying per match, since the pace is not so fast as in regular combat, where you've had a long match if you're both in the air more than 30 seconds without colliding, crashing, or tangling lines. Second, a novice has a better shot at breaking in successfully at slow combat. Third, the technologyoftheairplane and motor is not as advanced as in fast combat. Fourth, the slow combat air-plane is more pleasant to play around with, than a hot fast one, on Sunday afternoons when there is no contest - in other words, it's mare of a dual-purpose thing.

Don't get the impression slow combat is dull, however, At the above mentioned contest, we saw virtually every kind of crash, fly-away, collision and cut that you could dream up, but at least, since they happened slower, the spectator and flyer could see what actually happened. The difference in speed between slow and fast combat must be 25-40 mph, and that is important... "

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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