Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World - Gizmodo Comments

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Crescent — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:59:36 EDT

@Synthfilker: at the end of the vid I literally went: "YEAH BABY!!!"

completely unintentional, fo real

Crescent

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Fmunkey — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:12:09 EDT

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.

Fmunkey

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Jim — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:59:36 EDT

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...

Jim

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

MooseDesign — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:45:33 EDT

So awesome... The detail is just incredible.

MooseDesign

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

fsusmithc2 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:28:45 EDT

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.

fsusmithc2

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Creibold — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:25:14 EDT

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.

Creibold

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:52:44 EDT

I curse Florida for being so far away :(

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

cbdsteve — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:57:58 EDT

I love everthing about that video - not least the music. Nice.

(gotta love that bomber with the mini-bombs!)

cbdsteve

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

thebear91 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:09:28 EDT

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.

thebear91

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

redkamel — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:16:49 EDT

I wish I could fly one of those.

BTW the smoke from that crash is the cherry on top.

redkamel

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

apeguero — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:32:13 EDT

Thanks for this Jesus. Really nice pictures. Boy I wish I were in the area.

apeguero

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

EBone — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:19:29 EDT

@diverguy: Very cool.

EBone

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

sierran — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:13:33 EDT

@Synthfilker:

Oh, God. The pain. I don't even build or fly these things, but I don't care. The pain.

sierran

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Synthfilker — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:33:33 EDT

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.

Synthfilker

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

akmarksman — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:16:46 EDT

I have a video of a Mi-26 and it's bigass..and badass.
[www.metacafe.com]

akmarksman

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

biker_ray_pa — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:47:49 EDT

@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.

biker_ray_pa

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

diverguy — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:16:34 EDT

@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.

diverguy

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

flynboarder07 — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:06:18 EDT

imagine an F-35 model, doing a vertial takeoff, that would blow many minds

flynboarder07

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

diverguy — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:46:12 EDT

@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.

diverguy

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Bos'un's Mate — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:48:33 EDT

@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!

Bos'un's Mate

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Fuzz — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:24:49 EDT

@Bos'un's Mate:

7 :)

I lost one flying to far away. Lesson learned.

Fuzz

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Barry99705 — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:18:53 EDT

Yes, mini jet engines. About $3000 each.... Spendy little buggers.

Barry99705

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

chribrian — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:11:25 EDT

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!

chribrian

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

avidgator — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:11:19 EDT

@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...

avidgator

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

chribrian — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:09:18 EDT

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!!

chribrian

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Bos'un's Mate — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:06:36 EDT

@Fuzz: Of the eight, how many are still intact?

Bos'un's Mate

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

aelver — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:05:50 EDT

@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]

aelver

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Fuzz — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:02:28 EDT

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.

Fuzz

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

geekinky — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:00:51 EDT

what.... no Kenny Loggins?

geekinky

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

EBone — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:56:45 EDT

@Cobolman2: @aelver: Alright you two, now arm wrestle for who gets to be correct...

EBone

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

aelver — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:51:59 EDT

@EBone: Yes

aelver

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Cobolman2 — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:45:50 EDT

@EBone:

They have props, but they're internal.

Cobolman2

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

vertigo — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:40:55 EDT

Am I the only one that clicked on the video and was dissapointed not to hear "Danger Zone"?

vertigo

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Fzzt — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:40:54 EDT

@iPhony: You land RC planes the same way you get to Carnegie Hall; practice, practice, practice.

Fzzt

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

NeoXY — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:39:51 EDT

thats so bloody badass...

Although I'd hate to see one go down...

Or would I? lmao

NeoXY

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

iPhony — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:59:54 EDT

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.

iPhony

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Crescent — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:58:15 EDT

aaah, where is a good radio jammer when you need one, SERIOUSLY NEED ONE!!!

Crescent

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

EBone — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:53:39 EDT

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?

EBone

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Bos'un's Mate — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:52:52 EDT

/ looking around, nervously /
Where's Blakely? [gizmodo.com]

BTW, nice video!

Bos'un's Mate

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

BigViper — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:52:13 EDT

now that is some cool shit I don't care who you are....

BigViper

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

SonOfMagicFact — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:52:09 EDT

Crap. It's 155 miles. And I've got finals to study for. CURSE YOU EDUCATION!

SonOfMagicFact

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

SonOfMagicFact — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:50:47 EDT

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.

SonOfMagicFact

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

FatesShadow — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:48:51 EDT

Blackbird.......by far the most awesome plane ever!!!

FatesShadow

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

nincompoop — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:47:39 EDT

I'm gonna bring my Party Pants too, then!

nincompoop

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

N@tedog — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:47:21 EDT

Miniature bombs!?!?! Awesome...

N@tedog

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Tayng — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:46:27 EDT

you're dangerouse!

Tayng

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

riqgeez — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:41:39 EDT

Hhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm. . . now what did I do with that RC scrambler?

riqgeez

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

liveinvt — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:35:43 EDT

Ready the mini AA guns!

liveinvt

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

vote Obama — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:34:38 EDT

pack

1. binoculars
2. telephoto lens
3. crash hat

vote Obama