WWII model aircraft air combat competition held at Olgina airfield

At Olgina Airfield in Ida-Virumaa, a European Cup round in radio-controlled air combat with World War II model aircraft has been held. Fifteen competitors from Estonia, Slovenia, Austria and Poland took part in the event.

Kirill Volkov, a sportsman from Narva, said the sport brings together people from different countries. He flew a model of the British fighter Hawker Hurricane, a plane chosen for its stability in the air and simple construction. Volkov explained that, just like in real aerial warfare, a pilot must get into the opponent’s tail, aim at a ribbon and cut it with the propeller. Each successful cut adds points. He also noted that the fuselages of these models are made from plastic bottles, making the hobby a form of recycling.

Another Narva competitor, Kirill Privalov, said he had always wanted to build models and used to cut objects with a jigsaw during school craft lessons. His parents noticed the interest and brought him to model aircraft sport. Privalov added that foreign participants are rarely seen here, so their behaviour can be somewhat unpredictable.

Slovenian athlete Vid Gladovic said he had made twelve identical models before the series of competitions. He brought six of them to Estonia, and one was lost already in the first round. The remaining planes will be needed for the following events. Gladovic admitted that simply launching models had become boring over time, while air combat offers real excitement and adrenaline. He appreciates the competitions, the flights and the atmosphere around the sport. His plane crashed five seconds before the end of the first round, but he accepts that as a natural part of air combat.

The winner of the competition was an athlete from Austria, second place went to a Polish competitor, and third place to a representative from Estonia.