GallopingGhostler

The Sharks always had that classy look to them. I remember eying them back in the late 1960's while in high school, in the America's Hobby Center catalog. My first AHC catalog was like 4 bits (two quarters) in junior high around 1967 - 68 sent in an envelope along with their application form, receiving the catalog a month to 6 weeks later.

Then all pay phones and most home phones had rotary dials. The only cell phones were car or truck mounted or if portable looked like a large brick, service was expensive, only for the well to do or business people.

It took 3 weeks to receive a reply after mailing a letter. An order to Sig, AHC required a money order and a 3 to 4 week wait (lived in Hawaii). Ditto for ordering plans. We didn't think anything of the time delays. Then in the mid 1970's we had UPS 2 day air. That was a real treat (and cheaper than airmail).

I guess that is why we didn't mind building. Pace of life was a little slower.

MrGoodwreck

Just for fun today, I told my Stepdad. ( he is the one that got stuck with my fuel, and prop bills...I guess he really should know).

He laughed, looked at my younger sister, and said " I guess it is all his fault!"

stuntflyr

Looks like a Guillows Barnstormer with drop off gear. Pretty well built but the looks of it, too.
I was in several 70's rock and roll bands, I don't comment about fashions of the past!
Chris...

fix-n-fly

My Feedback: (1)

I had a PT-19, but ended up tearing it up before I could learn how to fly. I finally succeeded when a friend asked me to fly his Cox Mustang. I was scared to wreck it because I didn't have the money to buy him a new one! I built most all of the Goldberg .049 kits - Stuntman, lil' satan, etc. and finally graduated to a used topflite combat streak. I had a friend that flew a miss behave? Not sure who made it. I enjoyed those times. Recently I built a Goldberg Shoestring stunter and put a OS Max .25 FP on it. I finally got up the nerve to fly it - brought back a lot of memories.

stuntflyr

Johnny Casburn, Miss Behave.

GallopingGhostler

I destroyed a couple of the ready to flies, plastic would shatter upon impact. First successful flights were on a Sterling Beginner Eindecker with a Cox .049 Babe Bee engine. I found that balsa was more durable especially flown over grass. I crashed it many times while learning. After about a dozen crashes, profile fuselage split. Ambroided it and next day was flying. My graduation was on the Sterling profile 38" span P-51 Mustang and Testor McCoy .19 Red Head.

I've been bitten on the bug. Repaired my Ringmaster Jr. Am completing the 1960's vintage 30" span OK Models Pilot Cessna 177 semiscale with Enya .09-III. Plan to build a large CL also, looking at something to put my Testor Series 21 .40 Black Head in, like David Bodington's 50" span profile Supermarine Spitfire, Sig Twister or 25% upscaled Sterling S-1 Ringmaster.

Kinner

I'm Jonesing for another CL carrier.  Old corps without sliders and other contraptions.  High tech was a Robert's 3 line bellcrank and handle. 

Ray W.

Bob Jablonski

My first CL plane was a Baby Ring Master I built with my Dad while He was building a Ringmaster. (Back in 1969)
Mr. Bob
Starlight Dude
Loco Bob's Hobbies

oldhawk

My first cl was a p-39 semi scale Japanese kit powered by Enya 09 III> It happened in about 1970, lack of experience It rarely fly to complete a few round. Later a Stirling Ringmaster & Fox 35 three bolt back plate I fly with success, the prop was tornado 10X6 nylon and fox glow plug. I still enjoy building & [some] flying cl with a new Ringmaster S-1 with solid leading edge powered by supertigre 34. Not a kit just build follow plan.

Dzlstunter

Jim Walker Firebaby for me, too. Then Trixter Trainer, then profiles.

Kinner

Anyone else boil their nylon props to make them more flexable?

Ray W.

GallopingGhostler

It's been a while since I boiled nylon props, but yes. AFAIK it puts the moisture back into the nylon to prevent it from becoming brittle.

Hossfly

CARVED some props but none to boil, when that old Thor .29 was a first model engine. Did a lot of it some years later. First truly flew a CL model around age 12.
By then had a McCoy .099. Took awhile. Then an OK Cub .74, then a Fox.29. Soon after at about 15, working pipelines all summers, I had kits and engines such as Fox, O&R .60. Forester .31, and some others. Lost the McCoy .099 on an original design FF. First really good flying models were with the .099 and the Cub .74. Fox and O&R were in there with a number of planes. Late summer before Senior H.S. year, I came home from pipelines some 10 days early. Had 4 kits waiting. Flew all 4 models end of week. Now I can't build a model in 6 months. SAD! Hard Core CL from 1950 until 1970+ with some competition FF in there. Many trophies. During the late 70's in that mid-life time when life changes, dumped 125 trophies and plaques into dumpster. Don't ever do such a dumb-butt thing! Keep flying CL. See you on "Stunt Hanger"

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

1954, Scientific Red Flash / Spitzy .045 and shortly thereafter pretty much all the Scientific hollow logs with two Spitzys (still have those Spitzys). Then just never totally quit even after RC came along for me in 1959. Always had something in the fire even now in my chair and going out this morning with my Magician and Nobeler / OS .35AX.

John

GallopingGhostler

Working on a Sterling S-1 Ringmaster original kit rebuild, to be powered with Testor McCoy .35 Red Head. Will post photos when done.

GallopingGhostler

Hossfly, to the chagrin of the Ringmaster crowd, you can get a TopFlite Flite Streak and power with an OS .25, at most LHS's and even Tower Hobbies. Brodak has some ARF's as well.

Hossfly

Thanks much George, but I have plenty to work on. Have a number of CL kits including several Thunderbirds, and a number of others. I can sit down - if I would - and scratch out almost any profile within a few hours. I have 2 flyable Ringmasters, one a 3-line for playing. I have 4 self-designed 1/2 As that fly really well should I get a kid "to help". I can fly 60 ft lines in my backyard. BTW some 70 RC kits in my barn shelves.
I started this Original CL Stunter 18 months ago and this was done in 4 weeks. Been sitting on the table ever since.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

6th or 7th grade a classmate sold me the whole shoot'n match parts and lines and 2 planes 0ne with a McCoy 19 and a 29 green head Torpedo ( who made that one?). Went in the USAF in Sept of 64 early 65 at Chante AFB I build a CL Stuka. Ended up getting my second articular 15 .... DOPE Flammables in the barracks. Got in to RC about 86 when my 11 year old son found a profile P-51 I had built in the basement of the home i grew up in and now owned when my parents retired and moved to Wickenburg AZ

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

K&B


John

Kinner

I had two green heads. reliable engine it was.

All this CL talk is inviting me to make room along side my 1/3 Fleet.

Ray W.

GallopingGhostler

I'm in a similar situation, hossfly, don't have as many kits as you, a little less than half but still quite a few. Got a few planes in unfinished state I need to finish also. Bet that CL Stunter Mig 15 will be a really nice plane once finished.

aghost

My Feedback: (13)

A Cox 049 from Disneyland about 1959. The MA Feb 2013 issue with the "Flight Circle" article really brought up some memories.

Rob2160

My first (and only) was the Corsair with a Cox 049. It managed several flights but was very light and in windy conditions didn't have the speed or inertia to penetrate and maintain tension on the CL.

It cost me $10 and came with plane, motor, fuel, battery etc.. everything ready to go.

The most enjoyment I got from that plane was just running the engine and learning about 2 strokes. Moved to RC about a year later when I could afford my first radio.

smithfj

Dan,
I agree about the old age taking it's toll but that's why we do inside and outside loops and figure eights. A little rest in between going around in circles helps. I started in '65 with the Sterling Ringmaster and quit smoking to enjoy the hobby. I haven't flown CL in a few years but I plan to try again in 2014. Yes, I'll be doing those figure eights as I'll be 73 then.
Frank

Kinner

I never could finish out an overhead clover leaf. Looked more like a Maple leaf when I came out of it.

Ray W.