I think that most people would have to agree. Our beloved event #328, AMA Fast Combat is pretty near grave yard dead.
There are only a few sparsely-attended local contests per year and even the mighty AMA Nats can only draw a token few flyers to take home the plaques.
Meanwhile, F2D, with a plethora of rules and the very expensive 2-plane rule, is thriving.
The idea of using an all-out pressurized high nitro 36 goes back to 1950 or maybe even earlier. By 1970 (40 years ago), the majority of combat flyers had already decided that the event was out of hand and switched to Slow.
So here's my proposal: EVENT 328 - AMA Combat.
All equipment rules (airplane, engine, muffler, shutoff, lines, handle, wrist strap, and streamer) will use FAI F2D rules. Only one set of equipment per match.
The conduct of the match will remain the same.
Start engine on the clock, kill wins, 100 points per cut, one point per second, five minute match.
Let's face it. Fox Mark VI & VII and Nelson 36's aren't on the market anymore. Those who bought them have had 15-20 years to get their money's worth.
The hard core Rat flyers finally gave up the 40 and downsized to 15's. Better to face current realities and preserve old fashioned KILL COMBAT than to sit back and let it fade away. Racing downisized to preserve 3-up racing. Likewise, we could change Fast over to F2D equipment and preserve KILL COMBAT.
By using the same equipment in Fast & F2D, we would reduce the variety of stuff we need to carry to compete. F2D stuff is easily purchased today. Old style Fast comabt equipment is only sold in the aftermarket or brought out from the personal hoards of the older combat flyers, some of whom are aging rapidly.