fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

Hey guys,

I went to the field today to test fly my reedie racer: an Ulmer DNU. It had been a while since the Black Widow had been run to it took a few tries to get it going. Once it was running, though, it ran ran great! For the last year or two, anything small that I have flown has been electric. But as I fought to get the .049 running and finally was able to hear it sing I was suddenly reminded of the simple pleasure and excitement that is 1/2A flight. Of course, there was an almost equal degree of frustration and mess involved as the little engine spat its waste all over my shiny new creation. This is something I have grown less accustomed to while flying electrics and, honestly, don't miss. However, I am happy to say that the engine ran great, the plane flew great and I can't wait until the 1/2A fly-in!

Brian

Tee Bee

Welcome back! I also fly some electric models(park flyer and micro size) and really enjoy them for what they do well but I tend to get more stoked up about prepping for a good 1/2A flying session. Like you, I don't much care for cleaning up all the messy castor mess afterward(and getting the smell off my clothes) but to me it's a small price to pay for the experience. I love breaking the early morning silence with a cackling Cox engine, listening to the different tones it makes as you turn and yank it all around the sky. To me, these tiny engines are marvelous machines and can only be fully appreciated not by displaying them on a shelf, but by starting them, tuning them, and launching them on your favorite little model airplanes. My little electric planes are efficient, quiet, have predictable flying qualities, and look more scale-like. Those are great traits but my boxy-shaped, noisy little 1/2A planes just have more "character" when they fly and provide me with a deeper, more memorable experience when I fly them. I'm not trying to fuel another useless electric vs glow debate, just stating how these different types of powerplants offer completely different experiences to the modeler. Unfortunately, most of today's new model flyers will never experience the things we see, smell, feel, and hear when we fly our old-school 1/2A stuff. I'm still enjoying making the memories and am always glad to see someone else get fired up when they witness one of our little glow models in action.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Nothing tastes better than a fish you catch when you're camping.

I look at electric flight like a trip to McDonalds. It gets the job done, but that's about it.

Bojac

Well said CP. I enjoy the smell of the castor oil if only because it brings back a lot of memories of "calling" for my dad at pattern contests as a kid.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

There's something magical about a running engine, they're almost like pets....

Remby

My Feedback: (3)

Its funny, but I was just thinking about how much I enjoy the oil all over the plane. Nothing like a model landing after it's "mission" , streaks of oil running down the fuse, on the bottom of the wing. Running through the built in oil slot in front of the firewall, it flows down and covers the skid plate, and has helped grease more than a few landings. The tail's leading edge covered with a thin coat as well. Beautiful.

Yep, that warm castor covers the plane, and it makes the end of a good flight all the better. If it did not attract it some strange way, one would not continue to fly these 1/2a wonders.

The grass can't be green over there...

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

CP, CP, CP wake up and smell the 21st century!

Oh all right, I drag out my little TDs and PAWs once in a while myself. But for the type of flying I do (jamming sticks in a corner and hoping) my cheap Chinese electrics and foam are the bees knees. And I swanee, once you got a gaggle of FFF electric combat models in a hairball, you'd never look back.

But go ahead and club your food to death before you throw it in the fire (have you tried Wendy's?)

(The preceeding was written in jest. Any offense taken by any and all readers may kiss my wrist.)

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Raymond, if someone could actually demonstrate the "whats and hows" about FFF combat in a thread, that would be appreciated.
I'll bet some aspiring RC combateers are looking for a form of combat where the ratio of work to play makes doing it more worthwhile.

Andrew

CP -

As much a you like flying combat, I think you would get a real kick out of some of this foamy stuff. Raymod's right - full contact hairballs with about 6 to 8 folks has everybody laughing. Most of it is flown in close and low, so about 1/3 of the casualties are people flying into the ground - usually you just run out, grab it and throw it back up. Packing tape fixes all but the worst damage.

I've got maybe $3 in materials in a plane (well, plank with fins), 4ch Rx and crystal: $14.50; 1500 mAh LiPo: $10; motor: $16; ESC: $18; servos: $6 to $9 - everything else comes out of the junkbox. I cut a 12oz water bottle in half and strap over the electronics, but most folks just leave them in the open. Occasionally you'll get a prop strike that will cut a wire or battery if left uncovered.

I used to think hot glue was a plague on society, but on this foamy stuff, high end adhesives are a waste. The hot glue sticks well enough and is tougher than the foam. One of our club members even makes his hinges from hot glue since it's flexible when wiped thin.

Just like Raymond said, you can bang-bang the sticks and if you total it, well, there goes another $3 and an hours worth of construction ( if you can call it that ).

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

I guess I'd better start thinking about putting my money where my mouth is re: FFF and electric combat. Ok you silver tongued devil, you talked me into it - just as soon as I finish my current project which is making kits of NutBalls for people who have seen mine fly (3 so far) and begged for their own.

Our version of electric combat evolved from a pretty avid group who started with scale .25s ala the 'legal' specs. But it got to be a pain when every time there was the slightest bump, bad landing, or actual mid-air your plane was out for the day and you had to go home for the repair. Then we migrated to Slow Survivable Combat (.15-powered gliders pretty much) in hopes of minimizing the damage. Better but no cigar.

So over two whole seasons a design that finally got the name Buster evolved. Same model. Same motor. Same prop. Same battery. Same performance - fewer mid-airs. BUT the biggy is, repairs takes minutes - even real stinkers.

We've got it down to where the model can be build in just a few sessions - using hot glue and Gorilla glue and the FFF which comes in $30 bundles that's enough to build at least 20 Busters. Do the math (I don't have a calculator handy) and its turns out pretty cheap per plane.

We still tow streamers - I guess because that's just what we "grew up" with. Only one of the group ever brings up full contact. It would be easier to "score" but so far it hasn't caught on.

So, one of these days I'll consolidate some diagrams, instructions, photos and a parts list for you CP. Then you'll be hooked and speak my name with reverence forever.

Come to think of it, Vic has a Buster but I don't think he's flown combat with it.

Edit; Sorry about the hijack Brian. I'll bring some Busters on the 17th. Bring a spare receiver and we'll "cut up", OK?

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

Castor oil is good SKEETER repelent IMHO

lildiesel

Yes, it is. And works even better when combined with equal parts of lamp oil and ether!

Tee Bee

I'm pretty excited about the weekend's flying activities. Going to a full-scale fly-in that my friend holds at his home on a private airstrip every year. Been helping him with it for years. When things slow down between arrivals and departures a few of us fly RC planes to entertain the crowd. This year I'm taking a Four Star 60, a 40-size Spacewalker II, a Herr Lil' Extra, and 5 Cox powered planes ranging from .010 to .09. This guy taught me to fly back when I was fresh out of high school. We've remained good friends since. He combines his family reunion with the fly-in barbeque so there is always a good crowd of kids and non-flying adults around who get a kick out of all the planes both large and small. This year they're gonna get a good dose of Cox chaos.