Balloon breaking setup & basic rules

[David Fretz]

I am looking for info on setting up a balloon breaking field and rules we need to follow. Is this a sanctioned event. Thanks for all serious responses.

[peabody]

Dive Bombing and Strafing is indeed an official control line event, and the rules are here:
https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/CLSpecialEvents2017-2018.pdf

A LOT harder than it looks

Have fun

[Brett Buck]

Dive Bombing and Strafing is indeed an official control line event, and the rules are here:
https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/CLSpecialEvents2017-2018.pdf

A LOT harder than it looks

    Yes, its vastly more difficult than you might at first suspect, and you really save on balloons doing it the AMA way - they tend to last a lot longer than the airplanes. WAM had a different (and extremely popular) version - I will try to dig out an old WAM rule book, but there was a double-ended rig that held a single balloon at ~5 feet off the ground, with a balloon on the end of a stick. When someone hit the balloon, the rig was rotated to move another balloon into place, while the operator replaced the bad one. Hit the balloon, they flip it around, and you get a new one.

   The WAM version resulted in many more balloon hits but was a completely different deal. AMA/barrier pole balloon bust requires a lot of maneuverability, the WAM version was all about speed, since there was no barrier, you wanted to just fly around level. The WAM version airplanes were pretty well-developed, with very nose-heavy models with long tail moments, and typically combat or racing engines. Rear-intake was the hot setup, because it was easier to keep the rubber sheet away from the intake. Front-intake engines usually had shields of some type. Balloon bust was pretty much the last of the WAM-unique events to die, it's possible that Pete Cuhna or Don Chandler wound up with the balloon rig (Don was very competitive in Expert Balloon Bust).

    Brett

[Dan McEntee]

    Yes, its vastly more difficult than you might at first suspect, and you really save on balloons doing it the AMA way - they tend to last a lot longer than the airplanes. WAM had a different (and extremely popular) version - I will try to dig out an old WAM rule book, but there was a double-ended rig that held a single balloon at ~5 feet off the ground, with a balloon on the end of a stick. When someone hit the balloon, the rig was rotated to move another balloon into place, while the operator replaced the bad one. Hit the balloon, they flip it around, and you get a new one.

   The WAM version resulted in many more balloon hits but was a completely different deal. AMA/barrier pole balloon bust requires a lot of maneuverability, the WAM version was all about speed, since there was no barrier, you wanted to just fly around level. The WAM version airplanes were pretty well-developed, with very nose-heavy models with long tail moments, and typically combat or racing engines. Rear-intake was the hot setup, because it was easier to keep the rubber sheet away from the intake. Front-intake engines usually had shields of some type. Balloon bust was pretty much the last of the WAM-unique events to die, it's possible that Pete Cuhna or Don Chandler wound up with the balloon rig (Don was very competitive in Expert Balloon Bust).

    Brett

     After the untimely and tragic passing of Jason Pearson, his father donated the WAM balloon busting equipment to our club here in St. Louis. He still had some of the specialty models that were built just for the WAM event, some powered by an ST.60! When Jason started up the Turkey Shoot event in November each year, we used it for the balloon burst portion of the event. it is really well thought out and quality built equipment. Our club used to use a  5 or 6 station system, starting out at about 2 feet and progressing down about six inches and the balloons spaced about ten feet apart or so. The highest balloon first, and it scored the least points and the lowest balloon was more or less on the ground and score the most. There was a speed portion timed for 7 laps from take off just like carrier, then the busting began. It's simpler and fun. Not much interest in it in our area any more as we have all gotten older and our membership has dwindled. If I could get enough irons out of the fire I could be talked into flying it again! Gotta build a stick proof wing for it through!
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

The old Sky Devils of KCMo had a unique balloon burst event.  The circle was marked for F2C racing and that is what we used for balloon location minus one location, open spot for take off.   First seven laps flown for speed(60 foot lines or close to it).  Then pop the balloons with the last one in line is first target and etc.   Speed times number of balloons was your score.

[Chris Fretz]

 Do you get points if you wreck?

[Carl Cisneros]

Chris

Yes you do

REBUILD POINTS   

[Jerry Eichten]

Contests I went to as a kid years ago - Minneapolis, Mankato, Des Moines, Fargo - all included balloon bust.  A fun easy event for new fliers that basically involved level flying.  Speed for 7 laps on 60 foot lines times balloons popped out of 6 attempts.  Signal an attempt on the previous lap.  Balloons were on balsa sticks, rotated out to the edge of the circle one at a time on a long 2x4.

An introductory event, but it helped young people and newbies feel like we were part of the contest, and of course we hung around and got exposed to stunt, racing, combat & everything else.  Some got hooked and grew into the hobby.  Good memories.

[Brett Buck]

Contests I went to as a kid years ago - Minneapolis, Mankato, Des Moines, Fargo - all included balloon bust.  A fun easy event for new fliers that basically involved level flying.  Speed for 7 laps on 60 foot lines times balloons popped out of 6 attempts.  Signal an attempt on the previous lap.  Balloons were on balsa sticks, rotated out to the edge of the circle one at a time on a long 2x4.

   That's essentially how the WAM version worked, and it was a genuine but approachable challenge, without the destruction-derby aspect of AMA Balloon Bust.

     Brett

[Dane Martin]

The Las Vegas Circle Burners still hold a balloon bust event at least once a year. Typically in conjunction with the Ringmaster fly-a-thon. I don't know anything about WAM, but from your description that's what we do. Reuben McBride usually beats us all with his heavy ringmaster.

[john e. holliday]

That is the easy way or looks easy.   The challenge we induce was to have balloons about 20 feet apart or so and the last balloon is to be broken first.   Then we made two classes novice and expert.    Balloons had to be broken in inverted flight.  That is when I learned a person will get dizzy after more than 7 laps.

[Carl Cisneros]

I remember the balloon burst event back when I was at my first duty assignment
in north central CA back in teh early 70's.

We flew WAM then and Mom Coad would bring the device down with her to our contest
and every one that flew it had a great time.

Of course, when you were done with your round, you had to blow up more balloons.

Carl