The model airplanes of 180 people were present at Hoa Lac, a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield lying 24 km west of Hanoi's center for performance and competition, as part of an activity of the Northern Aviation Club to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Air Defense and Air Force.
Dinh Van Lam, 28, from Ho Chi Minh City used a 16-seat car to transport two aircraft with wingspans of 2.4 m and 3.5 m respectively to the event.
Made of polymer composite, the two can fly at the maximum speed of 300 - 350 kph.
"These are the two largest model jets in Vietnam, with all of their parts imported they took about two months to assemble. Each plane costs about VND350 million (US$14,300)," said Lam, who has been a model aircraft enthusiast for nine years.
A model of the reconnaissance aircraft OV10.
It weighs 70 kg and has a two-stroke engine.
The owner, Nguyen Truong Son, said that to participate in the event players must have had hundreds of hours controlling model airplanes in licensed areas, and an understanding of the mechanics, chemicals, and electronics.
The event was opened with a paramotor flight performance by six experienced pilots who have won many local and international competitions.
A jet plane costing VND200 million took off and performed for three minutes.
The scoring criteria were based on the details of the aircraft as well as the skills of those flying them.
A fighter aircraft and a helicopter took part in a simulated situation in which the fighter jet violated the airspace and the helicopter, carrying missiles, participated in air combat.
The test of going through a ring of fire required players to have a lot of experience.
Aircraft with a wingspan of less than 3 m must fly through a ring of fire with a diameter of 3 m while those with a wingspan of less than 1.5 m fly through a ring with diameter of 1.5 m.
In three minutes, the plane that passed through the ring the most times took the highest score.
At the "heli funfly" competition, players were requested to use the plane's landing gear to pick up a plastic bottle and lift the bottle from position A to position B, and then land the helicopter in position C.
Those who finished the test in the shortest time won the event.
Several model aircraft were damaged in the competition.
The four players are members of Hai Phong City's aircraft club. 13 members of the club brought more than 20 planes to the event.
"We spent five months preparing for this. Each member has had at least three years playing model aircraft and we usually practice together," said team member Nguyen Dinh Trung.
