SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

Kelly, I expected no less from a sissy club that only flies wittle ewectwics and big gas powered mid wing trainers said to be aerobatically challenging [:-]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH WHAT FUN !

That's ok, looks like aside from Andy T, I'll be the only large scale warbird driver left anyhow, the 'Got Wood' gang has folded with ZMAN selling out and Unteroffizier moving to God's country..........ES335 is lost in the building hanger !

All kidding aside, I still don't think we have enough warbirds to do an event. With the so called scale aerobatics it looses it's "scale" charm, so it might as well just be called an FSA Open house or something. I do think a TOC type event is a great idea !

If all goes according to plan, I hope to be flying more fullscale next year. Praying I can pass a medical and I can work out the $$$$ end of it. "Ridgely traffic, Cessna one niner eight tango whiskey turning final runway three zero Ridgely !"

MT

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Thought I would beat Kelly and Kirk to the ribbing. Good news, Bad news, Good news.

Good news, the Ultimate can hover very well. I was able to hover it from the edge of the runway to about 350 yards straight out. Actually it was the wind that blew it out that far

Bad news, the plane was extremely tail heavy. No way to straighten it out and get it flying right

Good news is that I was able to get it down in one piece without any problems.

There, go ahead, flame away guys!!!!!

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

Take it to Cecil, he can get weight in the nose !

StubbornSwiss

My Feedback: (4)

Lee

You really don't do justice to a great scene! Let me try and describe it from my vantage point in the pits (by the big shed)......

There you are.... with the Ultimate hanging on the prop - hover??? - I really don't think so since ALL the controls are telling you it should be straight and level[sm=confused.gif]

We watch you "battling" with the controls, shouting "it's tail heavy... it's tail heavy!!!!". Yeah Lee... we can all see it's tail heavy [sm=biggrin.gif]

Anyway, the wind is blowing from the south west, and very soon the Ultimate is "hovering" towards the WSSC building [sm=drowning.gif]

Now comes the funniest part..... Lee is now running (watching from behind, it's more like he's waddling, penguin like )across the field into the tall grass, still trying to control this "self hovering" plane!! By now he's gone thru ALL the 3D maneuvers - afterall he did say recently he was heavy into 3D [sm=bananahead.gif] - and the plane disappears somewhere in the distance into the brush!

Good news........ after a long trek thru the konterra jungle and back, he emerges with an unscathed e-flite ultimate.

I guess the moral of the tale is.... "He who hovers and walks away, lives to hover another day!!!!!"

Hey, it was all fun

Lee, thanks again for spending all that time in between your 3D practice, helping me with my new engine.

Blessings

Albert

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Well, the good thing about those foamies is that if you cut power they start going down nose first. I cut power and the plane proceeded to go nose down. When I thought it was close to the ground (couldn't see the ground as Albert so eloquently put it, the plane was almost at WSSC) I goosed the motor a bit to try and level it out and get some air over the elevator. Combination luck, skill and the grace of God, the plane was pretty much level when I finally walked to it, some 5 minutes later. Without a scratch. I have to tell you guys the true story on why it was so tail heavy as I uncovered last night. I was in such a hurry Friday night, I miss read the battery installation (actually omitted the instructions) and placed the battery in the wrong spot [:@]. DOH! I have moved the battery to the correct location and will try to fly it on Monday during lunch. WHAT A BONEHEAD! Glad it was just a foamie and not something else. Guess you tend to rush the easy build planes and you don't take your time.

DD

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

I know a vice pres who did a similar thing, I think it's still in the trees......

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

BTW, I have thrown in a JR 652 6ch computer radio to the Tiger Moth deal, so it's now for sale "Ready to Fly" $1000.00

New cost:

Plane $300.00
OS120 $350.00
JR Radio & PCM RX $350.00
JR 4721 servo $100.00
Futaba 9202 servos $ 100.00
JR Std Ballbearing Servos (3) $60.00
Expert on-board glow - $60.00
2700mah battery - $35.00
Std 600 4.8 (Glow driver) - $20.00
4 rolls of fabric - $80.00
All that small fancy hardware(extensions, pull pulls, etc) - $100.00
Extra cowling and cabanes - $40.00
Dashing Pilot figure- $$$$$$$$

Probably more stuff that I forgot.....hell even the on-off switches are $40.00

Total before assembly: $1595.00

And that does not include the custom scale work and Skip's priceless time modifying the wings.

Save yourself the aggravation of assembly and buy it "Turn key" she flies great, lands slow and will spin like a top !

Everyone needs a scale Bi-plane ! This sweetheart of a plane is dependable and proven !



MT

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

Gary's making me queezy with that beautiful DVII ! I've got to get the big Tigermoth going ! got biplane fever !

If you have not seen it lately, he had the whole fuse out today, the cowling is a piece of work and his functional tail strut truly unique !

Going to be a real treat when that one flies

MT

chriswhousedtoflyalot

Hey lee can you teach me how to hover like that, man that was some nice luck that it didnt get hurt. I would like to see it fly level for a change oh well today is another good flying day wasted to a hangover.....

Strawhat Mike

Hey Lee, what a bunch of sweethearts, huh?

We kid because we love.......

-- Mike

kregan

Come on Mike.... Don't leave out Jake, I'm sure he would love to site
with you and talk warbird talk. Also Cecil has a large Corsair right?

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Yipee!!! We have officially past the The Arrow's ultimate demise thread's number of posts! [sm=thumbup.gif]

thunder21

My Feedback: (2)

It's interesting the attitude you take towards the smaller aircraft at the field. I hope you're not compensating for something by getting larger and larger models?;-) Just don't be so condescending towards what others consider fun. Because that's what we're trying to do here, have fun.

Maybe your goal is to continue to build bigger and bigger models until you build something you can fly away in? Why not just skip the chase, sell all your models, and go for full scale training? I know of at least a few members at FSA that would applaud you for doing so.

The Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas are pretty bad areas for R/C aircraft modeling in general. It's probably the fact that there are too many other things to do which steer people away. The local hobby stores are a testament to that fact. Imagine walking into a store to buy a receiver and the proprieter tells you he has to special order the crystal. What a PITA! I can't tell you how many times I've walked out of the store and just ordered it on the internet. What's worse is asking for a particular tool or piece of hardware and them telling you they don't stock it because you can get it from Home Depot or Lowes and they can't compete price-wise. Very frustrating. And we are supposed to live in the Nation's Capital? Not for R/C planes it ain't.

kregan

Hey guys, check out Benders web site... he has posted pictures
of the combat contest and he has a few cool arial shot's, one nice
shot of the pilot boxes and field....

http://amocs.com/gallery/contests/2005_1112_FSA15/

Aslo my Mojo, Kurts Yak, Jack's Zero, Jake and his Mustang,
the flying boat and more.

Jake, you really need to get that cowling installed!!!

kregan

Until I can fly precise rolling circle's along with the myriad of other precise maneuvers
as well as, or better then Kurt and Dave M. I will always own a "big mid wing trainer".
I may never reach that level of flying ability, but I will have fun trying!

That reminds me, Kurt... Can you call Andy Kane and get a price on one of those
Yak Trainers for me? [sm=greedy.gif]

Got Wood Club... what are you guys doing up at that end of the field. [sm=lol.gif]

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

I love starting trouble, you guys get so worked up !


Hey Mark,



You're killing me !


Kelly,

Andy Kane is a fantastic warbird and UAV pilot too, the utmost respect for him when he's flying that 47% trainer thingy. As for Kurt and Dave, two fantastic pilots who can fly the crap out of anything. I liked Dave's comment when he flew my T-bolt, "Wow this is different"

I was really bummed when KK sold that T-6, I would have loved to have seen it fly, a low pass with two warbirds would have been fantastic. T-6's are tough critters to fly, I know KK would have handled it with ease, based on some of the stuff he's had to fly in the pro world. [:-]

My take on Aerobatics has always been " Trainer like flyers that allow the artist to paint the sky" and warbirds are "Scale representations that allow the artist to paint the plane".

I suck at flying those big aerobatics, not even close to Dave or Kurt, but then I've never had one and really worked at it. I had a Funtana90 and was able to do some 3D and some IMAC. But it's just not me, I got bored, maybe someday. To each his own.

I prefer building a scaler, doing the research and reading the history. My passion lies here, remembering fallen heroes and that sort. As well as allowing me to experience flying a warbird, something that I imagine will never happen in the fullscale world. As the warbird gets bigger, it flies more like the real plane. That is the experience that I crave, it has nothing to do with ego or ridiculous things as Mark commented on. The ability to handle the complexity of the craft as well as seeing and identifying small characteristics that the real plane had are quite enjoyable, adding to the experience.

I have flown the small ones unlike some others who have never flown the big ones. Don't knock it till you try it. (Kelly, next time I've got one out you're gonna take a few circuits) To me there's nothing like a warbird dirtied up with gear and flaps down, power on, glide slope set and flying to a perfect wheel landing. That's "Got wood".

I did say Large scale warbirds (90" plus), Even with Jake, Jack, Cecil and Gary, we still can't hold a full show. Look at our scale event, the only warbirds that flew were my own, Gary Heath, two other guys planes that I flew and an exploding corsair. There were plenty of planes in the pits but not flying. There was plenty of aerobatic flying going on. That's why a TOC would work. I think the warbird / scale event should just be thrown into an open house, maybe feature the warbirds. Now if you can get the guys who go to Delaware that's a different story, but they want an IMAA Giant scale warbird event.

As for Hobby Stores,

Since I have in fact run a hobby store, I can tell you those guys are doing all they can to stay afloat, it has nothing to do with where you are in the world. Mail order is a fact, it's convenient, and prices are always lower. RX crystals ? Do you know how many you would have to stock ? Futaba, JR, Hitec, Airtronics, FMA, Multiplex, 50,72,75 & 27 mhz at $10-20 cost ? How many channels are there ? What's the cost of floor space ? And they sell how many times a month ? What's this synthesized thing ?

The fact is they do the best they can, when you need a little screw or a piece of balsa they're there for you, you should support them and use some common sense. I don't mind paying a few bucks more or waiting a day or so more to get my parts when I know they'll still be open when I need that stupid screw or stick.

Mark, Do you feel they do not carry enough exotic electric stuff for you ? Try building a big gas warbird, you either order it or make it from scratch. Instant gratification is next to impossible.

What they do support is the newbie and the average model flyer even the basic electric flyer. Plenty of ARF's and rolls of monokote, fuel, field boxes, glow sticks, pumps, wheels, chargers and such. The majority of FSA members fly these types of planes and they are the ones that keep this hobby and club going.

My comments regarding the planes was based on me being expected to do all the work for a warbird show and was nothing but good ribbing.

Thought for the day:

"The fascination of flight can't be expressed with words. But it really lies beyond the capabilities of human endeavor. Once you've experienced it, you'll never be able to forget it."
— Friedrich Oblessor, 127 victories WWII.

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

On the lighter side of things, I dug up some old photos of my early electrics and glow mustang.

The PICA 109 was featured in "Electric Flight" magazine thanks to local Brit Derek Woodward. It featured a Speed 400 with 2.5-1 gear box, 8.5 x 6 prop and an eight cell 600 NICD pack. Flights lasted 4 minutes with a loop or two. I covered it with ultracote and airbrushed it with acrylics. I flew her at FSA once or twice, that's when I met Jack. She met her demise in the trees at the park, pilot error, I thought the winds were calm, till I got above the trees and whoosh ! that was that.

The Spit was the Kyosho way before I hopped it up. At this point in time it had a Speed 700 with beltdrive, twelve 2000 cells, 12 x 8 prop (I think) covering was stock and gear was fixed. Flew well for about 7 minutes, I never got up the nerve to pull the nose up and loop it. It eventually had a speed control failure when I added the retracts which resulted in it flying into a tree way out there. After that I never used a BEC on a bigger electric. Final configuration was an Astro 625G on sixteen 2400 cells, retracts and a good solid five minutes of beating up the field. She got shot down when Jack owned her, I thought he had the pin when he asked me to fly it, but he didn't. Last time I assume anyone has the pin.

The Mustang is my first glow plane, it's a World Models 40 size with an OS46FX. This plane is a fantastic entry warbird, flies so easy ! Gear is very dependable and construction top notch, all for $189.99 ! This became Dave Reed's terror plane when he popped a 91FX in it. She met her demise when Harry Sejour flew her into the runway at full bore.

Sometimes I wish I had them back, they all had their time and place.

MT

kregan

Mike seriously,

I thought about getting a war bird (the long nose D9 from skyshark) to fit
that 1.20 Keith gave me. The more I thought about it the less enthusiastic
I was.

Knowing that it takes a ton of work to build and detail one (the right way)
and knowing that I hate to start something and not finish it (like my
Mustang) I thought it would be better to just say no to the war bird at this
time. Add into the mix research (eyes glazing over) and the possibility
that I would get bored flying it and you can see my decision to steer clear
was an easy one.

The reason I like the aerobatics is simple really...

When I taught my self to fly long time ago I would just blast around the sky
on the farm using aileron and elevator only (combat style), I got bored with it
and moved on. Last year when I joined the club I started doing the same
thing, blast down the runway and flying around. I was getting bored fast. Keith
suggested the Sig Somthin Extra as a good next step. Once I flew it I realized
how much fun I had been missing out on not using a rudder. I was determined
to teach myself how to use it.

I don't know what it is (maybe it was that dumb @#$ shop teacher that would
not let me use the power tools, or those nasty nuns in grade school), but
when I teach myself how to do something new it always brings me a great
deal of satisfaction.

Last year I didn't know what HTML was, I taught myself and now I do the club
web site. A computer, what is that... Now I assemble, install, and setup all
my own machines. Cad - never heard of it, now I draw, modify and design
the homes I build (sure would love to see that shop teacher again) with it.

My Mustang, I didn't own a wrench... then I taught myself how to build
and paint it (that red with black stripes was my first paint job in my garage)
and got 3rd place in my first car show.

No, I have never equated R/C flying with full scale flying in any way. For me the
airplane is little more then a tool and it is not as important to me as the
accomplishment of teaching myself something new. I taught myself to fly
with no help from anyone and right now I am having more fun learning to fly
straight lines and patterns then I ever did just banking and yanking.

This ends another chapter in.... As The FSA Turns.

kregan

Couple more mustang pictures...

JLITZ3

Nice Mustang Kelly you should make some time and get in there and get buisy on that street rod. I am going to build a Thunderbolt next I am sure I can get it done by the time I retire LOL.........Who knows it should be fun.....

kregan

I hate walking by it every day with no progress. I just
can't find the motivation to finish it.

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

Mark (Thunder),

Since you seem to have me blocked in the PM. I shall respond to your private message to me here.

I see you do have a personal problem with me, those are nice kind words you come up with. I have yet to make a personal attack on you, so why are you so nasty ?

The thing with your helicopter is too bad, It is a safety hazard when operated right at the flight line per the rules as set. The comment to go to the park with it was just thought on how to keep flying it. You took that way wrong. I use to like flying in the park, no rules, common sense safety. Instead you came back nasty about it.

All of my ribbing on RCU is just that, ribbing, you can take it for what it's worth. I'm in personal contact with many of the guys I rib, they know my sarcastic ways and understand it's just fun.

Old electrics, See, we have gone through some of the same grief with electrics. I taught myself too, hand launches and all, so I'll brag about that as you do. In fact, to be arrogant, I still had my first plane up till last year when I sold it, still have the second one at home ready to fly. My crashes have been very minimal. All of my flying has been self taught, jumping into a fullscale was cake, in fact a Stearman owner that allowed me to fly it complimented me on how I handled his plane better than many licensed pilots he's had up. Yeah, I can brag too.

Look at the Reynolds numbers, as the plane grows in size it will fly more like the real plane due to the fact that it is almost that, 1 to 1 scale. So I disagree. In the words of Dave Platt, "A small plane flitters and a large one flies" and I agree having flown small planes and large planes.

As for speed, quoted in astro the Mustang is 437mph, yeah they were lucky to do that, even at 30,000 feet. The fact is in order to make the MODEL look scale you need to slow it down, otherwise it looks like a toy. It's the same reason a 747 looks like it's standing still on final even though it's over 100 knots. At 100 mph, your thunderbolt looks like a bumble bee, yet at 100 mph, my own looks more on par with 400mph in fullscale. I do have a clue since I've had a real P-51 fly over me at 50 feet at 300mph. Broke plenty of FAA regs with that pass.

An example of a scale similarity and feel is on my TF Mustang, if you allow the tail to rise early, you will lose yaw control and get a sharp left turn. Not the standard left pull, but a harsh snap left. My other fighters do not display this same tendency, as noted on a 1943/44 AAC instructional film, you should hold up elevator longer than you are use to in other types so that airspeed can build on the vertical, the tail wheel keeps you going straight, this allows the vertical to achieve enough effectiveness to counter the P-factor when the tail rises, eliminating the harsh left pull.

The fact that I can't get in one to tell you if it does is a good point, but I can relate to the above example from my position in the flight box. Do you really think Kirk Adams 30 size WACO biplane handles just like the real one ? Sorry, no way in hell. A 1/3 scale model will, as it is closer in size. Inertia helps with the feel as well. Maybe you should try a large 90" + plane before you decide otherwise.

I'm not an FSA Cheerleader or Popularity type, but I cannot remember anything I have done since I first saw you at the field that was personally directed to you. I remember kindly making a suggestion about adding aileron differential to your 38 to remove the tendency to barrel roll (just trying to help, I was having the same problem with the 40) and a small discussion about the loss of rudder effectiveness on my P-40. You mentioned your chipmunk did the same thing, I disagreed. I disagreed based on my past experience with small models and even having a large chipmunk that does not do that. Sorry, that is not a personal attack or attempt to belittle you. It is a characteristic of the real P-40, Pilot Jeff Ethell's article talked about dancing on the 40's rudder to keep her straight even on roll out.

I do however, remember complimenting you many times on what nice planes you had. The 38 was beautiful, So what gives ?

As far as other members, I already addressed that, that is the way clubs go. I really don't care if a few don't care for me, may be I don't care for them either.

As far as safety goes, FSA went through a period of nasizm rule blasting that almost killed the club completely. After this, It became common practice to react when needed rather than chasing flyers around asking about range checks. You came to the club and hooked up with Keith, That's great, Keith is a decent guy. We've had our problems in the past but I believe we have that sorted out. I admire he and his son greatly, I wish I had the chance to be so close with my Dad when it came to models and flying.

Since you appear to be realitivley safe and also come across as knowing what you are doing. As a S/O, I relied on your ability to follow the rules as posted. Had you been very unsafe, I would have talked with you. Aside from that, Keith was with you almost all the time. I try not to question his authority.

There have been plenty of instances where I had to step in as field safety but I keep those private so that we don't start trouble. I feel the best way to approach it is in private, that way you are not embarassing the guilty pilot. (Execpt in the case of one heli pilot who needed a talk and would threaten harm if approached alone)

In addition, when I instruct, I preach safety more than most of the instructors including Kirk. So your nasty words on that are meaningless.

I can see by your words we will never be friends, that is fine with me. Good luck, enjoy your planes.

MT

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

Kelly,

I completely understand your way of thinking, I have gone through life much the same way as you have, doing and learning on my own. I understand the lack of interest in the car, I went through that too, sold it and wish I had not.

I understand why you would not want to put loads of time into a plane that "sort of" appeals to you. Unteroffizier once told me, "You really gotta want that plane if you're gonna build it" so true !

A warbird takes a lot of dedication in the building end and usually comes out a plane that wants to destroy itself constantly. High maintenance is all part of the deal.

Those aerobats allow the artist to paint the sky and that's wonderful. One of my favorites is to watch Kurt do a full slow roll right then once right side up, slow roll left. It's absolutely gorgeous ! especially with that Zlin.

An aerobat requires skill to fly precisely, a warbird takes skill to keep it flying, just a different way to fly. I enjoy being on that edge of total destruction of all that time and effort.

As for the BS ribbing, I have said, my BS is just that BS, it's only kidding and having fun.

Flying is flying, there is a wrong way and a right way, but not in what you choose to fly.

MT

Strawhat Mike

Flight report on Lee's Ultimate:

He came out today at lunch to fly it. Wind was a little gusty and he was reluctant until he heard his screaming fans.

The outcome was never in doubt. It seems to fly nicely although Lee gave up on any thoughts of trim what with all the wind.

After short flight, Lee expertly lowered it slowly nose in to the crosswind, to land on the runway just past the weeds, until it was discovered that someone had moved the weeds up 3 feet since yesterday.....

Your humble reporter,
Mike

SpitfireMKI

My Feedback: (2)

Go find a gym and enjoy my friend ! I hear the indoor flight is da bomb ! Least till they turn on the heat !

We use to fly in and out of the shop over at my old company.

We do still expect a full pilot report here today MrDD !