Old model airplanes

[Scooterpimp]

I remember the old galloping ghost system etc. Recently sold my whole collection it was going overboard. Computer radio,s , converting weedwacker engines for large scale etc. Local flying fields getting WAY too anal. When i started tons of elders would help a newbie. Now they stick thier noses up like thier crap dont smell. Was actually told by some members that i shouldnt be helping out the younger guys/kids . Because im not a certified R/C flight instructor! Funny thing is I trained (tought how to fly ) the local instructor 7 years ago!!!

 

[Kevlarr]

Haven't been to an actual AMA field since before the Spektrum systems have come out. How do they handle the frequency pins now?

Before my oldest brother sold everything and moved to the Philippines he was into giant scale. His pattern ship had a 100cc twin. He was getting tired of all the new rules in pattern competition especially the one where you had points deducted if your db level was too high on your low flyovers. He'd run a prop that spun at such high RPMs the tips actually broke the sound barrier just so he'd be sure to always get that deduction and that was almost the only point deduction he'd get.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I hear all that loud and clear....I fly out of my own private field for a few of the reasons listed above. The AMA is a farce and waaaay to many "serious" people.

 

[2door]

The big organizations like the AMA, NSRA (national street rod asso.), NHRA, Goodguys, and all the rest are all about M-O-N-E-Y... When they started charging to attend one of their events...I'm out of there.
And, I know what you're saying about noses in the air. The local flying field is so cliquish that they won't even talk to you unless you're wearing their 'colors'(belong to their club). It was the main reason I quit R/C. The next closest field was about 35 miles from me and because of its location, near houses they were way too anal about overflys and noise. Another thing...control line flying was outlawed in the Denver area many years ago. You can't even fly them on private property if there's a chance anyone can get near those DANGEROUS planes. Remember when we used to fly control line in school and church lots and no one complained about the (unmuffled) noise? Okay, here we go again with the 'remember when' discussions. Sorry.
I'm scanning some old photos and I'll post them here in a day or so. I have lots. 15 years flying R/C, mode 1, so I have pictures.
Tom

 

[Kevlarr]

Anyone remember the control line cars? I got a "Prop Rod" from a yard sale back in the 70's for 10¢ that took an .049 engine and a prop. The church parking lot developed a permanent castor oil ring in the middle because of that thing.
Sold that little sucker on ebay a few years ago for $50!

Wasn't even as nice as this.

 

[2door]

Okay,
Here's just a few that I dug up.
I was really into scale stuff but I did some pattern and racing too. Anyone remember Quicky 500 racing? The big Cub was a crowd favorite. We used to use it at our club's annual air show in a clown routine. Most of these were taken in the early to mid 70s in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. The black & gold P-51 was a handfull from the moment the wheels left the ground until it was stopped again. One is me working on those stupid P-40 rotating retracts. What a mechanical nightmare they were. Enjoy the memories.
Tom

 

[2door]

A few more.
A scale contest with some great work by some of Florida's best. Remember Dave Platt? Him and I worked on that Corsair. We devised a way to duplicate rock chips on the leading edges of the wings. Looked real. The Staggerwing was built by the man pictured with it. A very dear friend who is no longer with us. The two guys on either side of the runway are holding the Limbo Ribbon. Can you imagine that event being allowed at an AMA event today? One of these is what happens when you dumb-thumb the sticks doing 4 point rolls about twenty feet off the deck. Ouch. And then there's the venerable old Ugly Stick. This photo appeared in the Miami Hearld coverage of an air show we sponsored for Muscular Dystrophy. I towed banners with the stick all during the show. Believe it or not I still have that plane today. Its hanging in my basement and looks exactly like it does here. Our club was called 'The Tropic Arrows'.
Tom

 

[Mac]

Oh yea... I love quickie 500, like the 3th pix, I had mt vert. stab at about a 60 deg angle though, worked better in the turns, used a router and cut 2 troff's for the epoxy/carbon fiber inlay adjacent to the wing spar's, had a Rossi .40, insane motor, turned 19,600rpm with a 10X7, big $$, worth every dime... so big deal, only 340db at 500 feet LOL!.. I still have a J-3(not clipped) with an Enya.80 4 stroke, I really love the beach staggerwing, always wanted to build one. The AMA thing discouraged me also, one of the reasons I fly heli's(nitro) now, I can do that anywhere I please. The last time I was at a field, they controlled freq's with cloths pins, That was a while ago... I really like this thread, the old PIX are fantastic... Hey 2 door, whose the long hair in the Pictures??? LOL!!

Mac

P.S. Coulda been me back in the day, now I don't have any(on top)!!

 

[2door]

Quote from Mac: P.S. Coulda been me back in the day, now I don't have any(on top)!!

Yeah, mac. Those long hair days are long gone... At one time it was a lot longer than those pix. Ahhh, youth.
Tom

 

[Kevlarr]

I wish I could find some pictures of my brother back when he stared out flying, you and he coulda been twins tom.

I remember when dad bought out an older guys collection years ago. The guy had about a half dozen planes (only 3 were finished) but he'd never flown even once. The one that sticks in my mine was the Piper Super Cub. It had a 6' wingspan and the geezer had so overbuilt the thing that my dad could barely get it off the ground with a super 60.

 

[azbill]

thats what happens to us old guys,,,
we lose hair where it used to grow, and it grows where we never had it before

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I fly mostly electric now. I have a 2M glider with a outrunner coreless motor that will climb almost straight up until you chicken out, I remember when electric gliders couldn't hardly climb higher than you could throw one. I have an electric heli too. Nice and quiet, hard to break.

 

[Kevlarr]

Eh, what the heck, my Formosa

YouTube - ‪Formosa Flight‬‎

and my camera equipped Slow Stick

YouTube - ‪The Skies Over Edgewood Village‬‎

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

I still have a Formosa! It flew O.K., but I think I built it a little heavy, and retired it early.
I have had the Slow Stick, a Big Slow Stik, and a couple of other GWS models. I think I still have a B-2 flying wing with two ducted fan motors tucked away somewhere too....I'll have to dig now.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Also, I have a Cox Flying saucer...not sure of the vintage, but it still works and can be simple fun. It's the one with the heli-type blades, not the earlier one that didn't fly so well, which I also had.

 

[D.J.]

I had a cox pt-19 flight trainer . I never got trained . The most time that I had in the air was about 20 seconds . I ran across this today . YouTube - ‪Amazing R/C airplane demo‬‎ What a great pilot/controller . what do you call a r/c flyer ? ....... D.J.

 

[2door]

Impressive, D.J....That takes a lot of skill and practice. Hat's off to the pilot.
Tom

 

[kicking]

nothing better than an BALSA WOOD AIRPLANE . They are getting harder to find though

 

[Kevlarr]

Balsa planes give us northerners something to do over the winter.

I tried winter flying once, made my own foam skis and everything. The flight only lasted 2 minutes, that was how long it took my fingers to go numb.

 

[Russell]

My favorite rc was 1/2A
I had a few 40-60 antiques like a buzzard bombshell and a few non gyro choppers. But when I just wanted to have fun I'd take out the Ace Pacer, Ace mach None, Airtronics Q-Tee and GLH all with 2oz clunk tanks. Still have a few balsa kits and Tee Dee , engines. Perhaps when the riding season is over I'll put them together. I realize that everything is electric but I'm stuck in the 70's.