They may not be made of LEGO or Star Wars-related, but if you like amazingly detailed, huge aircraft models—like the SR-71 above—head to Lakeland, Florida, and Top Gun 2008: the 20th anniversary edition of the biggest RC model competition in the world. It starts tomorrow, five days of pure nerdgasm watching the most stunning remote control aircraft in the world. More details, plus a gigantic gallery from 2007 after the jump.
"This year we have 125 partipants," show organizer Frank Tiano told us, "with 40 hobby vendors and coverage from 35 magazined from all over the world." In a good weather day, Top Gun gets 10,000 drooling spectators.

Looking at the detail and size of these beasts, we can understand exactly why.

Frank also confirmed to us that the A-10 featured in Popsci.com was going to participate in the competition, as well as many other new entries. So if you are around, it's a complete must, Maverick's glasses not required (but recommended.) [Top Gun—photos by Palmer Johnson, DVD video available from Wildberry Productions]
NOTE: if you're planning on assisting the Top Gun 2008 event, contact us at tips@gizmodo.com if you want to collaborate with us.








They may not be
Comments
pack
1. binoculars
2. telephoto lens
3. crash hat
Ready the mini AA guns!
Hhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm. . . now what did I do with that RC scrambler?
you're dangerouse!
Miniature bombs!?!?! Awesome...
I'm gonna bring my Party Pants too, then!
Blackbird.......by far the most awesome plane ever!!!
As I sit here in Gainesville, FL, I'm currently trying to determine how far Lakeland is from my current locale. This looks bloody brilliant, and I won't miss it unless I have to.
Crap. It's 155 miles. And I've got finals to study for. CURSE YOU EDUCATION!
now that is some cool shit I don't care who you are....
/ looking around, nervously /
Where's Blakely? [gizmodo.com]
BTW, nice video!
I know how the prop planes work, but how do the jets like the Mig and the SR-71 work? Do they really have little jet engines for thrust?
aaah, where is a good radio jammer when you need one, SERIOUSLY NEED ONE!!!
Seriously, how the hell do you land one of those? How do you know where the hell to line it up? Do they stand at the end of the runway to make sure it's on target to hit concrete instead of in the grass and/or crowd? Inquiring minds want to know.
thats so bloody badass...
Although I'd hate to see one go down...
Or would I? lmao
@iPhony: You land RC planes the same way you get to Carnegie Hall; practice, practice, practice.
Am I the only one that clicked on the video and was dissapointed not to hear "Danger Zone"?
@EBone:
They have props, but they're internal.
@EBone: Yes
@Cobolman2: @aelver: Alright you two, now arm wrestle for who gets to be correct...
what.... no Kenny Loggins?
RC planes are a lot of fun. I got into it last year, and am hooked. I went from 1 plane in the summer, to having 8 now. Good times.
@EBone: You could consider us both right. Jet turbine engines do have blades that propel air ... just operating slightly differently.
That is of course so long as none of the models have a ram-jets ... then Cobolman2 would be wrong ;) Mmmmmm ram-jet model ... that would be crazy fast.
[www.rcturbine.com]
@Fuzz: Of the eight, how many are still intact?
To answer your question do they have little jet engines or props . The ones you are looking at (the jets) and (all the jets) that will be at top gun do have mini turbine engines!!! They run on the same fuel and operate just like the ones in full size jets!!! But what a lot of modelers have are just what we call ducted fans wich are small nitromethane powered engines that have a fan in a ducted area in the plane.The mini turbines cost alot of money the cheapest i have seen was 2000.00 dollars for just the turbine engine but like this A10 plane you see he has 2 turbines and probably at least 15 to 20 thousand dollars in this plane if not more!!!!! I fly the prop planes and have several helicopters but no jets i cant afford that much but my helicopters operate just like the full scale also ! By the way landing thease things isnt all that hard but even the best fliers crash them sometimes!!
@EBone:
From watching the video, it does seem like they have mini-turbines available, as well as during the show they are having a session on "Turbines Explained." Wow...
Yes thease are ram jets !!! But they are limited to 200 miles per hour by the Acadamy of Model Areonautics,you have to be licensed to fly these jets!
Yes, mini jet engines. About $3000 each.... Spendy little buggers.
@Bos'un's Mate:
7 :)
I lost one flying to far away. Lesson learned.
@Fuzz: I have no idea who you are, but I can picture the look on your face when you realized that you were no longer in control of the little lost waif. :(
But you still have seven planes! Rock on!
@EBone:
They don't all have "internal props" as suggested. Those would be Ducted Fans in any case (not props). These are the types of jets I build and fly.
At these scales though, they are REAL jet turbine engines. They are powered by either propane or kerosene.
The are close to $3k each.
imagine an F-35 model, doing a vertial takeoff, that would blow many minds
@flynboarder07:
I'm aware of one RC Harrier jet.
[cpl.usc.edu]
If you a Harrier can be done, I would have to think that an F35 could be.
@iPhony:
You get used to it after a while. That's why it's recommended to start with cheap planes. My first few landings were a bit, well....rough. Generally, you stand to one side of the runway at about the halfway point, which gives you the best view to approach from either side.
RC is a lot of fun, and pretty geeky. I love it.
I have a video of a Mi-26 and it's bigass..and badass.
[www.metacafe.com]
In RC, you've got gas engines, electric motors, and turbines.
There used to be (USED to be) a turbine powered B-52 model. Follow the link to see someone waste at least $24,000.
+ Watch video
@Synthfilker:
Oh, God. The pain. I don't even build or fly these things, but I don't care. The pain.
@diverguy: Very cool.
Thanks for this Jesus. Really nice pictures. Boy I wish I were in the area.
I wish I could fly one of those.
BTW the smoke from that crash is the cherry on top.
Speed limit for RC in the USA is 200 MPH. Watched a video of a guy that went down to Mexico to break the world speed record for the size plane he had. Something like 278 MPH in level flight.
I love everthing about that video - not least the music. Nice.
(gotta love that bomber with the mini-bombs!)
I curse Florida for being so far away :(
Yes - my uncle builds and designs RC Jet's - they are insanely cool. However, if the structural integrity isn't damn near perfect on those things, the engine can end up ripping through the whole model.
After all, they are made out of BALSA wood.
Nitro, gas, propane, kerosene, electric, you name it, there's probably an R/C engine for it.
I guess I forgot all about this event. I pretty much stay to the R/C helicopter side of things though.
So awesome... The detail is just incredible.
Now I need to go home and hug my SlowStick. For anyone who is interesting in getting started - there are lots of relatively inexpensive, easy to fly electric models available these days. And to some extent crashing is fun. :) Getting stuck in trees on the other hand...
I live in Lakeland! But i just got sick today, and i have to work on saturday and sunday all day. I'm going to see if i can go atleast on one day. Even if i have to get out of work.
@Synthfilker: at the end of the vid I literally went: "YEAH BABY!!!"
completely unintentional, fo real
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